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Monday, November 19, 2012

Ten Pop Culture Things For Which I am Thankful

Marvel Comics the Untold Story by Sean Howe


No less than a narrative history of Marvel Comics, culled in part from new interviews between the author and a smorgasbord of Marvel creators, editors and business people, I picked this up on the strength of a review at Longbox Graveyard (well, picked it up immediately; I was going to get it eventually) and have since fallen asleep most nights reading it (because I'm forcing myself to stay awake to keep reading, not because it's boring). I'm currently coming up on the inception of the New Universe, and it's remained a compelling, fascinating and fun read. Highly recommended to any fan of Marvel Comics (though not to any fans who don't want their image of a happy Marvel Bullpen working in tandem to churn out comics with no conflict whatsoever tarnished).

The prospect of new Star Wars movies
Whether you're worried about the Disneyfication of the franchise (I'm not) or hated the prequels (I didn't), the fact remains, I can't not get excited about the idea of more Star Wars movie. 

Doritos Locos Taco
Not as good as the Chicken Club Chalupa (when's that coming back, Taco Bell?!?) and not nearly as awesome as it should be, but it is still pretty awesome...

Revenge


I don't write about this show regularly (because I fell so far behind; I'm currently closing in on the end of the first season), but the adventures of what some have called the Hamptons Batman are fantastic soapy fun that bring me back to my days of watching General Hospital and Melrose Place. Also, everyone involved is very nice to look at, which never hurts. 

Christian Bale's Batman voice
Because of all the unintentional hilarity to which it leads.



TV Comedy
Every time a new episode airs, I'm forced to re-evalute if Community, Parks and Recreation, Bob's Burgers or Happy Endings was the funniest show of the week, and that doesn't even count the older favorites or more populous shows I also enjoy (like 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, American Dad, The Simpsons, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, New Girl and Suburgatory) or stuff on cable (like The Venture Bros., Futurama, and Wilfred). It's a good time for comedy on TV.

That scene in Road House when Patrick Swayze rips out that dude's throat with his bare hand.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes


I mentioned it in a Thanksgiving post two years ago, and Dr. Bitz just brought it up as well, but it's worth repeating that this is a great show and one of the best adaptations of a comic into another medium. It's a shame it's over, but I'm thankful for the episodes we did get. 

Perd Hapley 
The Thing About Me Is, I'm Perd Hapley

5 comments:

  1. I really have to read that Marvel book. There's so much documented about the 60's and to an extent the Shooter era, but you don't see a lot (at least I don't anyway) regarding the 70's and the 90's.

    I agree with almost everything on your list. I'm not too keen on the Doritos Locos Taco, though. I tried one once when they first launched and couldn't stand it. I didn't touch one again until Angel Pagan gifted me with a free one by stealing a base in the World Series. It wasn't as awful as I'd remembered, but I think I still prefer their plain tacos more.

    New Star Wars, check. Revenge check. I really kind of wish you'd write about that. Batman voice, Perd Hapley, check and double-check. I have never seen Road House so I can't comment, but now I kind of want to see it.

    I'm very upset Avengers: EMH is over. I haven't watched the last episode yet; it's waiting on my DVR. I almost want to save it for a rainy day, like Desmond did with his last Dickens book on Lost. But I know I'll get to it within the next week or two.

    Lastly, if you love TV comedy, and you clearly have impeccable taste in that arena, why aren't you watching Archer on FX? It's consistently one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Now that I think about it, my other current favorite comedy, The League, is also on FX. Interesting.

    I'd never seen a single episode of Happy Endings until I caught it last week. I knew that Casey Wilson, my one-time SNL crush, was in it, but I had no idea Jack Bauer's daughter and the angry nurse from the final season of Scrubswere there too. I may have to watch it more.

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  2. @Matt: but you don't see a lot (at least I don't anyway) regarding the 70's and the 90's.

    Very true. For example, I was well aware of the rotating EiC chair that occurred between Stan Lee and Jim Shooter, but I had no idea the reason everyone kept leaving was because the job was downright awful.

    I really kind of wish you'd write about that.

    If I ever gt caught up on it (and I'm hoping to, relatively soon), I probably will.


    I have never seen Road House so I can't comment, but now I kind of want to see it.

    I first saw it only recently (which is partially why it's on this list), but it's pretty awesome, so long as you go in expecting a cheesy 80s action flick with over-the-top performances and a pretty bare bones plot. It also has Sam Elliot, and they haven't yet found a movie that can't be improved by his presence.

    I almost want to save it for a rainy day, like Desmond did with his last Dickens book on Lost.

    Yeah, I have the last two saved still, for the same reason.

    why aren't you watching Archer on FX?

    Missed it when it debuted, and haven't made the effort to go back and catch up yet, though I've heard tremendously good things about it.

    Now that I think about it, my other current favorite comedy, The League, is also on FX.

    That, Dr. Bitz, Mrs. Teebore and I actually just started watching (we plowed through the first season a couple weeks ago) and I greatly enjoyed it. I think he has the second season on BD as well, so we'll keep going, but I won't start watching new episodes until I'm caught up, because I'm anal retentive like that.

    I had no idea Jack Bauer's daughter and the angry nurse from the final season of Scrub swere there too. I may have to watch it more.

    The most surprising thing about the show is that Jack Bauer's daughter is really funny (well, she wasn't in the short first season, but the writers figured out how to write for her in the second and now she's one of the show's funniest characters). The angry nurse is also a consistent highlight.

    Hell, everyone is great, with Zachary Knighton's Dave the only real weak link in the cast nowadays, but that's partially because he's forced into the more Ross-esque straight man role. He still has his moments though.

    It's not a perfect show, week in and week out, but it consistently crams a *ton* of jokes into each episode, most of which usually land, and the ones that don't you forget about because three more come along right after it. In that way, pound for pound, it's the funniest show on TV, and it's the rare show that you don't really need to start from the beginning to enjoy.

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  3. We also used to watch General Hospital. And it was awesome

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  4. @Sarah: We also used to watch General Hospital. And it was awesome

    I started watching it with my mom shortly after I started reading comics in earnest, and I've often wondered if my enjoyment of one increased my enjoyment of the other, or if the two just fed off each other. Because some of the storytelling beats are remarkably similar.

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  5. Len Wein says in Comics Creators on Spider-Man that he has always watched soap operas for as long as he's written comics, and he has used the soap opera structure for his writing. I'm sure other writers have done the same.

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