Fantastic Finds at Wondercon 2012

Each year I head north, back to the San Francisco Bay Area, to attend the Wondercon Comic Book Convention, but this year I headed south, to Anaheim, where I had the opportunity of spending two days shopping and scouring the tables of pop culture and comic books for those unique and rare finds. I spent an enormous amount of time strolling between the tables that is Artists Alley, and visiting with the next wave of talented publishers, writers, and illustrators. It’s a fantastic way for a writer to network and meet other aspiring artists. Here’s some of the rare goodies that I picked up.

All Crime Comics #1: Tucked away between the animation studios in Burbank, California is a well-respected comic book store called, “House of Secrets”, and inside this store of serialized stories is a publishing company calling itself, “Art of Fiction”. The guys and girls from A of F have released a number of sketchbooks profiling the artwork of comic book and animation illustrators and are now extremely proud to release the first issue of “All Crime Comics”, a story that tells the exploits of Dodger and his crew of thugs as they plan to over-throw the kingpin of Chicago in the year 1989. It’s a savage and bloody tale of crime, one in which friendships are busted wide open like a head that’s been clubbed with a baseball bat, and where nothing ever goes as planned.

Ashcan Press: These two former record label owners and punk rockers based out of New York City are now creating and writing comic books and I give them two thumbs up for their hard work. After stopping by the Ashcan Press table and meeting Patrick Klindon and Matthew Rosenberg, I walked away with a copy of the first issue of “The Urn”, a limited series that tells the story of an ex-motorcycle gang member on a vengeance induced trip across the country. In addition, I was gratefully given a copy of “We Can Never Go Home”, the story of a teenage boy and girl learning of their newly acquired super-powers and having to run from their lives after an accidental murder. The boys from Ashcan Press have a spirit and drive for creating and writing comics that I admire and I hope to hear and see more from them very soon.

Monica Richard’s Naiades: She was the frontwoman of numerous bands in the HarDCore scene out of Washington D.C. and her most recent release is not only an album, but also an illustrated book filled with lyrics and poems and artwork by Bernie Wrightson, James O’Barr, and Kelley Jones (among many others). I’d describe her sound as a blend of the Cocteau Twins and Fugazi, with the Celtic ambiance of Enya. It’s unique, engaging, and most importantly of all…interesting. How did I find this rare gem? Well, Monica is engaged to comic book writer and screenwriter Steve Niles, who handles bass guitar duties on the album. So rad, yeah!

“Rampart”: From Script to Screen

Woody Harrelson as Date-Rape Dave Brown

We’ve heard the stories about a screenplay going through a number of iterations before it reaches the screen, and Rampart is no different. However, the screenplay of Rampart only went through two iterations. The story was originally written and conceived by hard-boiled crime fiction storyteller, James Ellroy, and then re-written by writer/director Oren Moverman. I came into possession of the original screenplay by James Ellroy (meaning that I made a photocopy of it while working at a production company) and it’s a complex tale that Ellroy weaved, one that was difficult to follow because of the tremendous amount of legal proceedings and lawyer head-butting goings-on, but I can tell you that a lot of the story went M.I.A. between the Ellroy and Moverman versions of the script; some of the cut-backs for the better, and some for the worse.

James Ellroy’s version of the script tells the story of Date-Rape Dave Brown, another one of Ellroy’s dirty cops, and his legal and police maneuvering to save his status as Rampart beat cop and “family man-of-the-house”. The year is 1999, and the rampart scandal of the Los Angeles Police Department is in full swing. It’s one giant cluster-fuck for the LAPD and DA’s office and they have nowhere to hide from public scrutiny. They need a scapegoat, so they set-up Date-Rape Dave Brown, a cop with an already tarnished reputation to take the fall. It’s a complex plot about a washed-up cop with a lawyer’s education and who should’ve been a lawyer, but didn’t pass the BAR exam, being operated and manipulated by lawyers of the DA’s office. Of course, as in any Ellroy story, Date-Rape Dave uses strong-arm tactics to enforce the law and to ensure that he ends up on top. The major changes to Ellroy’s script is the excision of two dirty cops associated with the rampart scandal who are allegedly gang targets. Subtracting these two characters from the original script cut out an important supporting plot that gave Date-Rape Dave something to investigate and “to do” in the movie. Without this supporting plot, Date-Rape Dave has nothing “to do” except save his own ass and self-medicate himself into oblivion.

James Ellroy at a premiere of "Rampart"

Oren Moverman’s version of the script, which is what made it to the screen and is ultimately what we get to see, had some of the original script in it, but told in a way that was not clear. What I saw in Moverman’s film, devoid of the supporting plot, was a man out-of-control, on a downward descent to drug addiction and alcoholism, and on the verge of losing his family. It was heart-wrenching to watch, and I could sympathize with Date-Rape Dave, but it was not what James Ellroy had originally written. However, it is my opinion that the story that Ellroy originally wrote is too intelligent for audiences and is not translatable to the screen. It’s another well-crafted hard-boiled crime story, but it’s no movie. Sadly, Oren Moverman tried to make a film from Ellroy’s script, but only created a rapid-fire montage of images, crudely pieced together in the editing room, with only half of Ellroy’s original story.

In conclusion: I’d rather read the Ellroy script than watch the Moverman film.

Some Damn Good “Cal McDonald Detective Tales”

Artist Kelley Jones provides the illustrations

Some genres really do mix well together and there couldn’t be a better pairing of genres than that of Detective Crime Noir and Horror. Steve Niles (author of 30 Days of Night) seamlessly combines these two genres much like The X-Files had done with its blending of Detective Procedurals and Science Fiction. The world that Niles creates is a dark and strange one, yet palpable. The degenerate demons and vindictive vampires of Nile’s world are common beings amongst us, but sometimes they need a little investigating, and sometimes the investigations can get a little bloody.

Cal McDonald Detective Tales features the private detective, and unabashed junky and alcoholic, Cal McDonald as he investigates crimes of the supernatural sort. He’s your typical private eye, full of skepticism and cynicism, and he handles his investigations like any other Los Angeles “dick” of the 1940′s and 50′s; with a loaded gun and a pair of bloody knuckles. However, McDonald’s prime suspects are ghouls, geeks, and goons of the psychopathic variety. It’s certainly not an easy job, but somebody has to clean up the dirty scum that preys on the even dirtier scum that haunts the Los Angeles streets.

I met Steve Niles last October at the Long Beach Comic Book and Horror Convention. He hosted a panel and talked about independent publishing and writing and I have to say, for a man that has a lot of sick and twisted ideas, he sure is a very pleasant person. I purchased a copy of this limited edition book and had him sign it for me. It came inside a zip-lock plastic “evidence” bag as if it were a potential piece of evidence, bagged by a detective and submitted to a court of law (or thrown into a box amongst other forgotten evidence items at the police station, i.e. O.J. Simpson’s gloves, Tupac’s police report, etc.). It’s a true rarity and if you ever happen to find a copy of the book in those more esteemed comic shops and book stores, don’t hesitate, buy yourself a copy and be sure to enjoy the madness.

Good Fun from “Hobo With a Shotgun”

"Hobo With a Shotgun" lobby card

It’s a common story, one that we’ve heard a number of times. An unknown and aimless drifter comes wandering into to town to learn that the the town is a depreciated war zone of drugs, violence, sexual crimes, and corruption. But unlike those other protagonists of other films, this one’s a hobo wanting nothing more than to purchase a lawnmower so that he can make money cutting people’s lawns. However, a man can’t always get what he wants and this hobo is pissed off that he’s going to have to cut his dream short. He won’t stand for the degenerate and perverse behavior of the scum that mercilessly bullies the people of Scum City. He’s had enough, and he’s going to enact his own brand of justice, with a shotgun, one shell at a time.

“Hobo With a Shotgun” is a throw-back to those sleazy double features you’d see in a grindhouse movie theater. I think that the filmmakers were hoping that you’d stare up at the screen, awe-struck by the sexual perversity and grotesque violence of the film as you munch on stringy licorice, buttered popcorn, and cherry soda pop. It’s all good fun, and totally absurd. The only un-absurd thing of the film is Rutger Hauer’s performance as the mad Hobo with a shotgun, whose grizzled and gnarled performance remains dead-on target with a well played intensity and sincerity.

It’s also reminiscent of those independent films from the 80′s and 90′s (my personal favorite period of filmmaking) that were made with a minor budget, forcing the filmmakers to be creative with their resources. So give it a watch, try not to look away, and be sure to laugh at the mayhem.

“Melancholia”: When Worlds & Characters Collide

As Melancholia overwhelms Earth

The film begins with an overture of lush photography, but ends with an explosion. And even though we may know how this movie ends (with the Earth being “consumed” by a larger planet called Melancholia) we remain in our seats to see how these characters will react to the oncoming end of the world, and quite possibly, the end of life as we know it.

It sounds like the premise to a campy sci-fi movie of the 1940′s or 50′s, where the male hero of the story grabs his sobbing bride and says to her, “Don’t worry darling, everything will be alright”. But everything will not be alright in this story. There is no space shuttle that will rocket the characters to the moon or a hidden government facility that will randomly select people to repopulate the planet. In this story, the characters have no place to run and no ways of escape. They must sit and wait and accept their fate and even though we (the audience) know how it will end, it is the behavior and the reaction of each of the three characters that is most fascinating and heartbreaking to watch.

Justine: We don’t know what exactly is wrong with Justine. There is no doctor in the film to give us a diagnosis, and I prefer it this way. It is my personal diagnosis that Justine suffers from “extreme sensitivity”. What is “extreme sensitivity” you ask? Well, it’s hard to describe, but it is like a manic depressive whose intuition is strong. Someone with a hyper-awareness you could say, like that of an animal. Through the first half of the film Justine senses that something is wrong, just as the horses in the film sense that there is an oncoming danger. Her emotional reaction mirrors that of the horses; at first it is met with anger and sadness, but then acceptance and calmness. She was originally introduced to us as someone irrational and uncontrollable during her wedding reception, but by the end of the film, as doom comes nearer, she is the most understanding of the characters and her bravery is admirable.

Claire: Claire is Justine’s older sister and acts as the back-bone of the group by supporting Justine and calming her abrasive husband, John. She tries to remain optimistic about the oncoming Melancholia and not let her anxiety get the best of her, hoping that the planet will simply pass Earth like it had Mercury and Venus. But she has her doubts and when her skepticism turns out to be true, she loses the rigidity and structure of her persona and her body turns to mush. Even during the final seconds of her life, as the land around her is being ripped apart, she is a jello mold of nerves and cannot understand or accept why this is happening. After all, Claire is a mother and a wife and she had a lot to live for and she wanted so desperately to hold onto her life and let it grow. She never expected it to be ripped away so callously.

John: John is a well-to-do man, someone who has wealth and success. He reminded me of characters from classical science-fiction literature, a man of scientific theory and principle with a very straight and narrow mindset. He has no perception of gray matter or of what lies beyond rational thinking and science. In a way, he is a fool. John’s initial reaction to the oncoming planet is that of excitement, it is an astrological marvel that he wants to share with his son and wife. But when he learns that Melancholia is indeed on a collision course with Earth, he snaps and abandons his family. His body is found by Claire in the stables, a mangled heap, dead from an overdose of pills. So much for our leading man meant to protect our distraught and frightened leading ladies from disaster.

Melancholia is worth a watch for many reasons: for it’s portrayal of flawed characters dealing with the end of the world and their reactions to it which contradict their initial introductions, for it’s mixture of genre; science-fiction, disaster movie, and drama, but most importantly, for its emotional effect it has on you, the audience member. It portrays that big question that we all must one day face: death? (the word itself deserves a question mark after it).

Photograph by Charles Corbet titled "Melancholia". The tone of this photograph matches the tone of the film.

After the film, I sat in my seat and listened to and observed the audience for a few minutes and I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by so many somber and saddened people. There was an applause and a few sniffles and I think everyone felt that it was nice to be emotionally charged after watching a film. Only a handful of films can do that in these modern times. I walked outside and the day didn’t feel the same any longer. I felt like I couldn’t continue living the way I had been. What if death really does come announcing itself? How would I react? Would I go to a used book shop and peruse the books on the shelf and then buy myself a nice lunch (which is what I ended up doing after the film) or would I slip away and succumb to madness?

I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

Fantastic Reads: “The Man in the Moon”

I’ve often looked up into the night sky and been very curious about that satellite called the Moon that rotates synchronous with the Earth. “Who lives there and how come it shines like it does at night?” I’d ask myself. At last, those questions have been answered in a clear and concise way that is easy for a 32 year old adult male to understand and you are welcome to those answers too in a book titled, The Guardians of Childhood: The Man in the Moon by William Joyce.

This children’s fable tells the story of MiM (the Man in the Moon) from baby boy to grown adult and how he achieved his title. Through beautiful illustrations and some very clever and elegant writing we learn of that satellite in the sky that has forever remained a mystery and of who or what lives there. It turns out that glow worms, and lunar moths, and moon mice, and moon bots live on the moon, all of them dedicated to protecting and serving the little baby boy that grew up to become the Man in the Moon.

Wallpaper spread from "The Man in the Moon"

Did you know, that in a golden age, many centuries ago, the moon was a ship called The Moon Clipper? That’s right! The moon would transform into a galleon and enormous sails would spread from it and The Moon Clipper would sail the open galaxies until it reached Earth, where it remained. You see, the parents of MiM wanted to hide their only child from the treacherous King of Nightmares, known as Pitch. But Pitch finally caught up to The Moon Clipper and threatened to haunt MiM’s dreams and MiM’s parents sacrificed themselves to save their child. So, as an orphan boy, MiM was raised and protected by the creatures of the moon. However, he never forgot the legacy of his parents and he wished to forever honor them as the Man in the Moon.

It’s all in this illustrious hardback children’s book by William Joyce, an animator and author, and a great thinker! If you wish to learn more, visit The Guardians of Childhood interactive website where you can watch videos, download illustrated trading cards, and even learn how to draw a moon bot. It’s all a lot of fun, no matter what age you might be.

Crude Beauty in “Apollo 18″

WARNING: This article contains spoilers!

"To be, or not to be?" Man studies man's primal fear on the moon in "Apollo 18"

Earlier this month a horror/science-fiction film opened in theaters. It was a little film, and I mean little because it felt very little, not because it was produced on a modest budget of under 10 million dollars, but because the atmosphere and tone of the film felt contained and claustrophobic. It was a brilliant concept and a brilliant execution of that concept using what appeared to be found footage, video, and super 8mm film stock. There was a beauty to the crude imagery of bouncing cameras, first-person point-of-view shots, and surveillance cameras that added to the atmosphere and made me feel like I was immediately inside the action. The film was made to appear that everything was a complete mess with no regard for the photography, but I could tell that all those shots were specifically designed by the cinematographer and director to inflict a very specific purpose or feeling. I especially loved this sequence of the film; one of the astronauts investigates the inside of a crater, wandering deeper into the cold darkness of the crater, and we are watching from his perspective, more specifically through the camera that is attached to his body, and as he goes deeper into the crater he uses a pulse-light to expose the ground, so that we (and the astronaut) must adjust to the darkness and the brief flash of light that reveals what’s inside. Note: I would recommend that anyone suffering from epilepsy to close their eyes during this sequence.

And what exactly is inside the empty darkness of the moon? Well, aliens of course. Unfortunately, we are not given any explanation as to who these aliens are and what they want or what exactly they do to a human being when they infect their body, but I guess there was no science/medical officer on board the Apollo 18 mission like Ash in Alien so an explanation could not be given. However, I prefer my science-fiction to have an explanation to the science. Despite this tiny qualm of mine, I was willing to simply watch and enjoy this truly engaging film. I suggest you do the same. But beware, it can be a little spine-tingling.