A Rush and a Push...

I haven't posted in a couple weeks. Not that I haven't been busy, but its just been more of the same. I thought about posting about Sen. Barack Obama's speech last week, but what can I say that hasn't been said already? It was amazing and he inspires me. I'll take hope over fear any day of the week.

I posted the fourth issue of my fan fiction project last weekend. I'm still having a blast with it and those who comment on it generally have only positive things to say. I'm finally at the part where I can stop rearranging the house and start making the title my own.







Antony and I recorded the second episode of X-Addiction on Sunday and it's currently available for download. We clocked in a little over two hours, but we crammed in a ton of content. All killer, no filler. It's a monthly show, so I don't feel too bad about it running long. The regular Comic Addiction Podcast keeps trucking along every week. We've got some potential guests lined up to interview so that should be fun. I'm still cranking out about three or four reviews a week as well as editing other writers' work, so I'm keeping busy with the site.

Old Man has a show on Saturday at the Rudyard Kipling. I'm looking forward to that, but I wonder how it'll sound. The Rud had its PA stolen last month. I'm not sure if it has been replaced or not, so I'm going in this a little in the dark. I figured they'd let us know if we had to provide our own.

I'm still addicted to Team Fortress 2. I couldn't wait for the updates on the XBox version (due out by the end of the year), so I started playing it on my laptop. It's not as smooth (due to limitations of my computer) and I'd rather use a controller instead of a mouse and keyboard, but it's still a blast. You can have a game with twice as many people on the PC version, so it gets pretty crazy.

I Follow Where My Mind Goes

Apparently, podcasting once a week for The Comic Addiction isn't enough. Fellow editor and X-Men junkie, Antony Ellis and I have started a monthly spin-off podcast called X-Addiction. We get together over Skype and discuss the previous month's worth of X-Men related comic books. The first episode went fairly smoothly and has met with enthusiasm by a few of our regular listeners.

The guys that run the Uncanny X-Cast podcast seemed a little miffed at first. I guess having two of their most loyal, longtime listeners, who have been extremely active on the message board, decide to take on an endeavor that could be perceived as direct competition might be little unsettling. Antony and I felt that we reached the limit of what we could do as X-Men fans through the Uncanny X-Cast and felt that X-Addiction was a natural progression for us. Also, Editor-in-Chief Chris Partin and I had been talking about new ways to expand the regular podcast and this seemed like a perfect outgrowth.

We chose the end of July to launch since it coincides with the new status quo for the X-Books. The team moved out the San Francisco and this was reflected in Uncanny X-Men #500 and Astonishing X-Men #25. Also, X-Factor starts its first storyline since that team moved to Detroit with issue #33. This makes it a good month for new readers to take a look at the X-Books, so it was a nice fit.

Sticking to a monthly schedule may be a problem. I have a feeling there will be a push for us to go twice a month after a while. I'm having a ton of fun podcasting for both shows, but I don't want to burn out. I'll worry about that when it happens.

Life and How to Live It - Project Updates

With the regular television season wrapped up and BSG on hiatus until 2009 (grrr...), I have a little more time to focus on my various projects (when I can pull myself away from Team Fortress 2 on the Xbox 360).

Old Man: The new Old Man line-up made its debut the weekend before last. We played in a bar that Neil and I had never performed at before. Melissa and Jana had played there before in other groups. It was loud, sweaty, drunken, and very rock 'n' roll. I loved it. The crowd was enthusiastic, too, which always helps.

We've got another gig set up at our old stompin' grounds, the Rudyard Kipling one July 1st. It's with a band from the UK, I think, and on a Tuesday night, but I'm sure it'll be fun. We'll probably use the same setlist. If it ain't broke...

Comic Addiction: I've got a couple advance reviews up at the site this week (another one pending until Chris comes back from his vacation). I'm also working on an article which is an overview of what the X-Men titles for the first half of the year.

I'm still editing reviews by other writers and co-hosting the podcast every week. It can be hassle at times, but I'm still enjoying the responsibility and the work. I'm going to Wizard World Chicago this weekend, so it'll be more comic book overload for me.

Fan Fiction: I'm still having a ton of fun with my take on the Uncanny X-Men. The first issue was well received, and I posted the second story last night. The third issue has been scripted out and is ready to be translated into prose format, and I've begun work on issue four's script.

I don't read much fan fic, if any, because it's usually pretty bad. People tend to replace the regular characters with their own creations or it devolves into slash/erotica. The other folks involved in this project with me have done a great job. I think it helps that most of us are new to writing fan fic, so we'll hopefully avoid those typical pitfalls.

nerd[heart]geek: I've still got the rest of the New Order catalogue to discuss (the last three albums and a single, I think). I'll hopefully get at least one review posted this week. Also, I'll continue to review the new Cure singles that come out on a monthly basis, which will lead to the full length album's release in September. Maybe I'll write and overview of their catalogue next.

Up Against the Wall

I've been really bad about not posting here on a regular basis. Comic Addiction has been monopolizing my writing "talents" as of late. I'm not complaining; it's been a lot of fun and I'm working with a great group of folks. I've even been involved in a couple of the site's podcasts, too (which is featuring intro and outro music by my beloved band, Old Man). In addition, I'm also attempting to write another comic book script. This time my focus is on an underused '80s property owned by one of the Big Two. I think I've got a great story idea and a solid handle on the characters. I wouldn't waste my time making a pitch to a major unless I thought it was really good.

No new developments on the my other comic book project: Daysleepers. The first six pages have been completely pencilled and two of those have been inked. They look great, but I can't help but get impatient at times. I want to have something to show some publishers in November at the Mid Ohio Comic Con.

Old Man is going to audition a new drummer soon. A young woman has expressed interest in playing with us, so we're going to give her a try. I hope she works out, because I'd like to play some shows, again. I'd also like to get moving on getting the record out. All we need to do is package it and mass produce it. Sure, it'll cost some money, but I think it'll be worth it. It sounds really, really good and I think people will really respond to it.

It feels like I'm in a constant state of "almost there" with all these projects. I'm not about to pile blame on anybody that I'm working with. Every person I'm collaborating with is a vital part of the experience and the end result would suffer without their involvement. I also don't want to come off as being pushy. Maybe I'm not pulling my weight. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I don't know. Erg. I just need to relax, I guess, but I'm too excited about this stuff. When I'm working on Old Man or Daysleepers or Comic Addiction, I feel like I'm actually doing something with my life. I'm not curing cancer or anything, but I'm getting a ton of self-gratification. That's not a bad thing is it?

This is where growing up Catholic sometimes really fucks with you.