On Resilience, Batman Costumes, Other Things

Consider this first bit a self-pep talk.

I would like to thank everyone who read and/or commented on "Reciprocity". As a fledgling writer, I receive no greater boost than knowing that someone reads my stuff. The positive nods are just a bonus. Thank you.

There is a lesson in that story that I need to remember as a fledgling writer. I'd received five rejections before landing it with The Battered Suitcase. What if I gave up? Sometimes, being resilient is the most difficult of all choices, but it is the only choice that matters.

Part two: the Halloween Costumes.

I may need to consult Carrie Harris on this (if we have any Batman eyebrow issues): the whole fam is dressing as characters from Batman. Yep. Owen (5) will be the caped crusader, Max (2) will be Robin, Aimee will be Bat-Woman, and me...Alfred, the butler.

Yes, Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler. You should see the bow tie...in fact, I'll make sure to post some pictures.

Finally, a movie rec:

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is go. I remember all those cheese ball John Hughes movies from the 80s, and will admit, under interrogation, that I enjoyed most. Michael Cera is this generation's John Cusak (remember Say Anything?). Now, if I could just go to the movies without seeing my students...hurm.

The Dark Knight and a Barbarian from the Past

Okay, I went to see Dark Knight last night. I'm a Marvel guy at heart; Superman? Wonder Woman? Blah. Batman, he's psycho enough to fit in with Marvel greats like Spiderman, Punisher, et. al.

So the movie...wow. That's about all I can say. Most reviews have been positive...some, lukewarm. One complaint from some critics: the tempo doesn't let up throughout. This bad boy is all climax folks, and don't expect your heart to stop thrumming for a good hour after the show. All the major players were brilliant, including (I'm sure all of you have heard) the late Heath Ledger as the Joker.

The preview for Watchmen looked amazing as well--some of the sequences matched panel & perspective from the graphic novel. That will be a real treat next summer.

In other comic related news, I stumbled across Mark Evanier's official website. (I'm such a geek!) He was part of the creative team behind the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon back in the early 1980s, and wrote Groo the Wanderer with Sergio Aragones (a comic book about a moronic barbarian with the destructive force of a class five tornado). I still have stacks of Groo down in the basement somewhere...