I love a good year end list. And this list is very much about me, and my year, and what works for me. If you dig what I usually dig, then seek these things out.
Oh, and this just means things *I* did/imbibed in 2017, not necessarily things *from* 2017 because I’m crazy behind on things all the time.
Okay, roll the thing!
Man, this took me far too long to put together.
I’d take a few minutes each night to consider what my top 100 flicks of all time were, and the list filled up, I ran past 100 quickly and easily, but then I had to cull. And then I’d remember one I’d forgotten and things would shuffle. And then I could never align the order.
This list, right here and now, is correct at time of publication but can and will change instantly as soon as I hit Publish, and it should. Trying to line up where OFFICE SPACE fits on a list somewhere alongside APOCALYPSE NOW brings up all kinds of sweats. But the flick is definitely on my list, no question, so it becomes placing it in the ‘right’ spot. bah, like art, this list wasn’t finished, it was abandoned.
For all of this, I blame John Lees – the Scottish gent put up his 100 list and my brain wouldn’t let it go [go see his here – LINK]
This list is an insight into my brain. It’s a wholistic picture of things that inform me, that make me smile, and that I dig. This isn’t trying to state what’s ‘best,’ nor what should be here. This is me across ~200 hours of cinema. I hope you dig, and maybe find something new to tuck into.
100 AMERICAN HISTORY X
99 28 DAYS LATER
98 TRADING PLACES
97 PSYCHO
96 THE RUNNING MAN
95 THE SHINING
94 MOON
93 BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
92 COMING TO AMERICA
91 THE ‘BURBS
90 SE7EN
89 OFFICE SPACE
88 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
87 ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
86 WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
85 PREDATOR
84 DIE HARD
83 COOL HAND LUKE
82 DAY OF THE DEAD
81 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
80 THEY LIVE
79 FIRST BLOOD
78 ZODIAC
77 ZOOTOPIA
76 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
75 THE SOCIAL NETWORK
74 THE CONVERSATION
73 THE INCREDIBLES
72 IRON MAN
71 ARMY OF DARKNESS
70 BOOGIE NIGHTS
69 DONNIE DARKO
68 THE EVIL DEAD
67 LOOPER
66 IN BRUGES
65 BONNIE + CLYDE
64 AMELIE
63 CITIZEN KANE
62 THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
61 OUT OF SIGHT
60 FLETCH
59 CASABLANCA
58 BLACK SWAN
57 ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN
56 THE PAPER
55 THE FLY
54 THE BROOD
53 ALIENS
52 SHAUN OF THE DEAD
51 APOCALYPSE NOW
50 STAND BY ME
49 LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL
48 GOODFELLAS
47 VIDEODROME
46 TRUE ROMANCE
45 12 ANGRY MEN
44 THE TOWN
43 FIGHT CLUB
42 THE IDES OF MARCH
41 BRAVEHEART
40 THE FRENCH CONNECTION
39 STAR WARS IV – A NEW HOPE
38 RESERVOIR DOGS
37 THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
36 THE DARK KNIGHT
35 GOOD WILL HUNTING
34 THE PRESTIGE
33 ENTER THE DRAGON
32 ALIEN
31 INCEPTION
30 ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
29 STAR WARS V – THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
28 HALLOWEEN
27 KISS KISS BANG BANG
26 REAR WINDOW
25 JFK
24 THE GODFATHER
23 CHASING AMY
22 RAGING BULL
21 THE BIG LEBOWSKI
20 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
19 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
18 BODY HEAT
17 [500] DAYS OF SUMMER
16 MEMENTO
15 INSIDE OUT
14 THE PROPOSITION
13 M*A*S*H
12 TAXI DRIVER
11 THERE WILL BE BLOOD
10 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
9 VERTIGO
8 CHINATOWN
7 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
6 AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
5 JAWS
4 BLADE RUNNER
3 PAN’S LABYRINTH
2 MILLER’S CROSSING
1 THE THING
2015, I believed.
BEST COMIC
DEADLY CLASS by Wes Craig and Rick Remender
Just loved every single panel in this crazy messed up book. It’s a wild idea, wrapped up by a wide array of intriguing characters, in a $10 intro trade, with some of the most nuanced and superb comic making I’ve seen in a while. Just an utter joy to behold – well, in a sense of how it is made…most of the actual narrative is as bleak as leftover coffee the next morning.
BEST TV
HANNIBAL
Just the best in show for everything, really. This year was S3 and it closed out the show and did it so masterfully that I’m still in awe. This is one of the few things I just keep bringing up to people and gushing to them about. It’s a show I want to share because it represents so many things about storytelling I love, and I wish I could do.
I’d love more seasons but I also love how tight and wonderfully this is all stitched up. This year, everything else paled in comparison.
BEST MOVIE
INSIDE OUT
And I mean hands down, best flick of the year. I crazy loved the idea but the execution was better. With a simple narrative throughline, they then explore emotions in such a deliberate and delightful way that my 5yo man dug it but I was floored by it. I cried twice in the damn flick and then when I got home and tried to explain it to the wife I started tearing up again. She thought I must’ve had a stroke. So good, and who knew we needed HERMAN’S HEAD the kid adaptation so bad?
BEST MUSIC
NEW BLASKOOOO!
Yes, a new Sarah Blasko album dropped and she’s still amazing. ETERNAL RETURN has fuelled some words in the last few months.
BEST PODCAST
COMIXLAUNCH
Every time I listen to this podcast about using Kickstarter for making comics it inspires me to make some more comics. I just get the fire in the gut again. You need to have that fire, and stoke it, and shift it, and kick it, if you’re going to survive this stupid ride we repeat again and again making comics.
The ComixLaunch podcast is just gasoline all up in my bonfire of life. I was also on an ep, dig it, it’s all about kickstarting DEER EDITOR and doing a digital only campaign from Australia [LINK]
BEST BOOK
ELEKTROGRAD: RUSTED BLOOD by Warren Ellis
This ebook was like two bucks or something stupid and it was a tight, short, very interesting read. And I’m finding it hard to hang on to novels because they are taking me crazy amounts of time to get through so short novella stuff is just right and this book was aces [LINK]
—
Are there other best things from this year I should be considering? No app jumped out at me this year, and no way could I single out all the cool art I’ve been able to scope in my travels with collaborators, so I think this is it.
2015 was a building block year, and it built in me patience. Hopefully I can use it to calmly slaughter 2016.
The #fourcomics hashtag burst into life – thanks Jim Zub – and it’s the sort of thing I love seeing, and love doing. So, I chose 4 comics I can remember that were prominent in my childhood. I’d love to do plenty of other #fourcomics pieces but time only permits one, and nostalgia is king.
Now, doing this was hard – I cannot remember a time when there weren’t comics around. There is no remembering the very first comic I ever read because by the time memory was forming, everything around the house already felt old hat. But there are comics that meant a lot to me as a kid for various reasons, so let’s get into them.
G.I. JOE #60
One of my earliest memories in life was being dinked on my eldest brother’s handlebars [sounds dirty – totes isn’t] into town and he had this part time job and he’d saved some of the money and he was taking me to the toy store [because back then you didn’t have mega-retailers selling everything, you had to go to dedicated and ludicrously overpriced toy stores] and he was going to buy me one G.I. Joe action figure. I was pretty stoked. G.I. Joe was totally my jam. I cannot remember which one I bought. But I remember thinking my brother was the bee’s knees and having the time of my life. I also remember my mother being in town with me another time and saying she’d buy me one and I think I chose Muskrat. My childhood was pretty ace and filled with amazing family.
Anyway, so onto the comics, so my earliest memory of the Joe comics was with the family on some sort of road trip – could have been around the corner, or interstate, to me all instances of road travel in our speeding automobile were akin to sorcery. So there we are in some road side stop – it felt long, like a split level, and near some stairs was a spinner rack. Now me and the middle brother are looking over all the mostly Marvel titles and I think Mum said we could get one, so we got a G.I. Joe comic. Now I wanna say it was this one but unlike the rest of the world my memory isn’t great. I don’t remember those covers and numbers and stuff others do [NOTE: I always assume they’re lying to sound cool] but I know we got that Joe book and it begat a cavalcade of Joe books in our world.
Quick side note – how bad ass is this cover – it’s totally just how we’d play with those toys, and I love that the art just makes everyone and every vehicle look like the toys. Also, neither of these guys is firing anywhere near the other, seriously, look at those trajectories. Whatevs…
I can remember reading all about Zoltan, or Zartan, or were they both twins [can’t I just research my own damn thinkpiece – NO! TimE!], and they were dragging people down halls to be brainwashed. I remember all the ninja shenanigans and realising that Snake Eyes was cool but I thought Shadow Storm was just a touch cooler – or maybe I had to think that because my middle brother – who read all these books with me and played all the action figure games with me – always got to be the ‘coolest’ characters, so he was default Snake Eyes and Han Solo and I was always left with the squares or the 2iC’s of cool. I remember reading all those crazy storylines and just loving them.
G.I. Joe comics were a staple of my childhood, and a bunch of artifacts I remember clearly and dearly. I also think they shaped me immensely.
Oh, and a side-story – I can remember playing with the figures with my middle bro – we had them laid out on our massive pool table, Cobra V Joe, epic battle. And a Cobra spy, or maybe the Commander hisself, infiltrated the Joe camp, and my bro was holding the Commander. So he takes a Joe hostage to give himself time to villain-splain to the Joes. While that’s happening, I take a Joe and start sneaking around one of the vehicles hoping to pop a cap and end this ridiculous posturing straight up. My bro makes the Commander tell me/the Joe to quit it. I keep moving. They tell us to quit it for real. I don’t. Cobra Commander whacks this hostage Joe right in the head and everyone freezes. Commander tells the Joes he is serious and not to be trifled with, and then makes his exit. My bro puts the CC away and looks at me and says that Joe is dead now because of me and that we can’t just take it back or resurrect him, he’s out, for realsies. I remember this as being a huge lesson to me in the importance of keeping your villains real, and that dead is dead, there are no easy ways out.
Props to my bro for making a fun game with toys a masterclass in mortality and war.
What If…the X-Men Had Stayed in Asgard? #12
I cannot be certain I ever actually read this issue but I know I spent a whole mess of time looking at the cover. It intrigued me in ways I could not explain. The pink background the fact I knew enough to know this story wasn’t ‘real,’ the giant frog wielding a hammer. This cover is just always something that speaks to me, and I think it’s forever telling me that comics need to be eye-catchingly rad. And I am down with this lesson.
It is also the truth behind What If…? books being the raddest.
Vault of Horror #1 [a reprint]
I was in a newsagent with my eldest brother when I saw this. I instantly knew I needed to have it. I was about 12, I considered myself a horror aficionado, and this ‘new’ horror comic had to come home with me. So my bro ponied up the cash and bought it for me [again, rad fam, right?]. I read this issue cover to cover an insane amount of times. And some of the stories aren’t even that great but I loved everything about this book from the hosts, to the tone, to the art, to the fact it led me down the spiralling rabbit hole of tracking down as many EC comics as I could find.
As luck would have it, I was right at the start of the reprint era of all the EC books and I spent the next few years gobbling up as many as I could [Tales from the CRypt, Haunt of Fear, Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Crime SuspenStories, ALL OF THEM!]. And many I did get. I got them in newsagents, I got them in back issue bins in out of town comic shops, I got them by looking hard and long. I got so many, and I treasure them to this day.
Though I remember getting a mammoth oversized issue of Tales from the Crypt – it was like WEDNESDAY COMICS large, but with a harder cover – and I loved it so. Now…I have no idea where that issue is. Still bums me out. The closest I came to making up for this was buying the JACK DAVIS EC STORIES ARTIST’S EDITION a while back. Book is a bruiser and sits behind me in my office making me smile daily.
Spider-Man: Carnage
This is one of the first comics I bought with my own hard-earned Empire Credits. It was at Minotaur Comics [then the largest comic shop in the Southern Hemisphere and regular train-ride-away comic haunt for me and the bros] and I had recently been sucked into the Spidey vortex of Venom and Maximum Carnage. I insanely loved both [I still have nearly all the issues of MC and so so many issues of those Venom minis they kept pumping out – I doubt I could ever find the heart to part with them] and Carnage was a character I just thought was super interesting. So I snapped up this weird little trade collection – of which there weren’t many at the time – and I read these issues a lot. Looking back, it’s just OTT 90s gorno in spandex but at the time it marked this transition from the Uncle Scrooge stuff I had been reading. It showed I was ‘maturing’ into an ‘adult’ reader, ha, wink.
Anyway, I still love Carnage [come at me, brah] and this book has not been cracked open in a long time but I know when I do, I’m going to love it with all my nostalgia feels.
——-
So, those are my #fourcomics – they certainly aren’t perfect but they speak miles to me as a young person, and me as a progressive reader, and me as a comics reader and where my foundations lay.
In writing this, I can’t help but wonder which comics I should/would/could have included. Presented because I care [and am certain you do, too] here’s some alternate suggestions.
Uncle Scrooge – I’d have no idea the number, but these comics [and I wanna say some Goofy ones] got me through Year 2 in a big way when I was dealing with my father’s death, had moved towns, and came down with this harsh asthma that was probably more psychosomatic than real but it dropped the ass out of my year either way – but these comics were there to keep me focused.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #4 – before we’d even seen the show, this comic came into my life because my middle bro moonwalked into a plate glass door. Relax, he was fine, just a few stitches – but he was in hospital and I remember overhearing the call that he was in hospital, and my Mum raced off to see him [said moonwalking took place at a mate’s place] and as she left I just burst into tears. I thought he was gonna die – I obvs didn’t get the idea of a cut leg – but I was calmed when I found out we were gonna deliver some reading material to him the next day. Mum randomly picked out some comics and #4 here got us tracking down more, and then the show dropped, and we never looked back. I dug the show just fine but these comics were gold dust, and only just behind the Joe books for us.
Mad Magazine – again, I’d have no idea the issue # but my middle bro and I inherited the eldest bro’s collection when he went off to join the Army. So we got sucked in, and then one summer we spent countless hours riding from town to town looking in all newsagents for any different Mad mags we didn’t yet have. They were glorious and inform so much of my stupid humour now.
Bartman #1 – I read this issue, and the subsequent 3 that make up the mini, soooo many times. I really wanna read them again to see if they hold up is some sort of way because man was Young Ryan hard into these guys.
And I wanna do more, SuperPro #1 [which I speed reread this week and it is not good], and Daredevil #201 [I think it is, him with the broken arm], and some of the covers to the X-Men Classic issues, but I’m realising with the comics loitering in my childhood peripheral I could rage rage against the night forever.
I will close by saying, I hope you peeps have #fourcomics that shaped your youth in a rad way, and I hope you’ve shared them with the world.
I like to read comics, I like to share what I’ve read. I like to, where and when possible, expose people to new books. I hope this post does this in spades because 2014 was a bloody ripper of a year for comics.
Disclaimer: I have not read all books from the past 12 months. In fact, my reading has been sparse, though I’ve been hitting at least one floppy per day, just because I like to show the kids how you can set a goal that’s achievable, thank you New Year’s Resolution. Anyway, as I was typing, I haven’t read them all. I need to catch up on plenty, and I surely will. One day. So there is no EAST OF WEST because I have to get back in, etc.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
The following books are ace. Get into them. I am safely vouching for them.
HIGH CRIMES – Mt Everest action in 99c chunks from Moustafa/Sebela
BATMAN – just flat out fun cape comics, top shelf high concepts from Snyder, superb Capullo art, lots to love
ELEKTRA – really dig the vibe/tone of this book, and the art is pretty top notch most of the time, plus those covers
STRANGE NATION – quirky and smart conspiracies from Romera/Allor
DAREDEVIL – always good, has shied away from great for me, lately, but is always so close, or gets there on occasion (I sound like I’m complaining, it’s a good book, ‘kay, Ryan, jeeeeez)
BLACK SCIENCE – very good, just missing out, I’m always enjoying the structure and pacing from Scalera/Remender
COPPERHEAD – came out of nowhere, has made me intrigued instantly
SOUTHERN BASTARDS – very good low level crime stuff from the Jasons (Latour/Aaron) – EDIT: on NYE I caught up on issue #4 and am now wondering if this should have been in the Top 10, it probably should/would/could have, but I’m lazy with my edit fu
THE FUSE – digging this low key high space procedural from Greenwood/Johnston
NAILBITER – enjoying the smooth flow of this serial killer jam from Henderson/Williamson
DEAD LETTERS – really intricate and insane stuff from Visions/Sebela
THE PRIVATE EYE – digital-only book from Martin/Vaughan is consistently well crafted, paced, structured, and fun
LAST BORN – weird and frenetic jam by Zawadzki/Meaney
AMBIENT YEAST – dysfunctional apocalyptic funtimes from Pat Grant
ORIGINAL SIN – I really dug the first two-thirds of this Marvel event from Deodato Jr/Aaron – the structure of the end was different – nature of the beast – but there’s a lot of fun stuff to dig on here, I think I was mostly just impressed that the Orb got to headline an event, man, what a world in which we currently reside
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE – a book I’d not have said would be in my wheelhouse but this McKelvie/Gillen jam is just bloody well told
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA – this was way more fun than I’d expected, thoroughly digging delving into the Churilla/Powell pages every issue
SOLAR: MAN OF THE ATOM – a really slick take on an old propety from Bennett/Barbiere
PRIME 8s – I wish there’d been more of this Latino/Moreci insanity
DIY SPOTLIGHTS
I love great creator owned DIY comics. Below are some books that have been made because their owners screamed at the world and demanded to be heard. They’ll be hard to find, but they’re ace.
DUNGEON FUN – Slorence/Bell really pack in the fun and cool in this all ages fantasy romp
EXIT GENERATION – great interstellar hijinks and 80s action from Oliveira/Read
FROM ABOVE – an intriguing Aussie superhero dystopia from Craig Bryun that I think shows us a great creator on the scene down here
THE BROTHERS JAMES – the best grindhouse fast car revenge comic you’ll find anywhere in the world, Level/Ferrier are suh-laying it on this one
PROPELLOR – a superhero concept played low key and for the character beats, the pacing from Mo is on fire, and the art from Muriel is captivating
Aaaaaaaaand, now for the big show.
The Top 10 Comics of 2014
10 – SHELTERED
by Johnnie Christmas + Ed Brisson
Yes, I write essays in the back of this book, no, it’s not bias showing through. SHELTERED is just damn good comics. The pacing is great, the voices are clear, and Christmas with Shari Chankhamma colours is just all sorts of beautiful. This story of a prepping community gone wrong is pretty spectacular and wild, and with the recent events as we wind into the final reel, I truly cannot wait to see what happens next. And that’s the perfect sign of a damn good book.
9 – FIVE GHOSTS
by Chris Mooneyham + Frank J Barbiere
I come away from every issue of this book wanting to go back, read it again, and take my time. Because Mooneyham and Barbiere make each issue look easy, they make it seem simple. But the structure is key. The way stories are broken, the way pages are assigned, this book is a process nightmare for me because it does all the things well that I believe I can’t do. The dialogue is sparse. The iconic visual moments are plenty. And yet the story still hangs. I always worry I cannot do these things but FIVE GHOSTS gives me hope.
8 – SAGA
by Fiona Staples + Brian K Vaughan
I know this isn’t the best book on the stands. I know this, and so sometimes I worry I steer away from it just to prove this to myself every month. It gets adored like everyone knows it’s made with magic pixie dust and I don’t see it that way so I almost tell myself maybe it’s not that good. Like some sort of four colour hipster. And I do this because I am a BKV a acolyte and I want to make sure the book is this good.
And it is. It is this good. Because when this book is on fire, nothing can stop it. It succeeds, and this’ll come up a lot for me, because it’s a genre dirty bomb, taking in lots of things, heating them, and throwing them in your face. And the fact, at its core, this book is about parenting just double makes me smile.
7 – RAT QUEENS
by Roc Upchurch + Kurtis J Wiebe
I never would have said I needed some sword and sorcery comic in my world. I never played D&D as a youth, though did dig the cartoon and played my fair share of GAUNTLET. But this isn’t a genre itch I ever needed scratched and yet Wiebe lured me in and then I realised what this book is. It’s about the characters, these women, and their relationships, and their connection to their world, and their ability to kick ass and be funny.
I never thought I needed this book but now I’m so incredibly happy the whole world gets to enjoy it.
6 – THE MASSIVE
by Garry Brown + Brian Wood
This book has that density of world building I loved in DMZ, and it has strong characters like all his work, and it has Garry Brown on art with Jordie Bellaire colours and that’s always a treat for the peepers.
The idea of a post-post-apocalyptic book was intriguing, that it also then became something more is pretty damn cool. This is a character deconstruction of what we can become with a clean slate ahead of us but only the same old skills available at our hands. And from there the book goes to places I did not see coming. It is nice to be surprised.
5 – SEX CRIMINALS
by Chip Zdarsky + Matt Fraction
Another book I was pretty certain I didn’t need. And then it landed and completely defied my expectations. A time stopping sex comedy sounds like fun but instead what was delivered was this beautiful and haunting deconstruction of the minutiae that makes up our relationships, our sex lives, and the ways in which we see and categorise ourselves. Instead of some His Girl Friday with time stopping spunk we got a love story. A real love story. With problems. And laughs. And all the inappropriate stuff you shouldn’t mention. And it’s funny.
It probably goes without saying for all my top books but this book has some seriously fun and inventive craft on display. The way Zdarsky and Fraction use a page, or where words come from, or how to frame a joke is something worthy of being studied. You will be a better wholistic person for having read SEX CRIMINALS.
4 – FATALE
by Sean Phillips + Ed Brubaker
This weird fiction horror noir came to a close this year and I’m sad to see it go, though I’m also happy to see a series run a decent course without needing or go to 60 issues. The messed up story of Josephine though the years was a true noir pulp classic and it will be sorely missed, though THE FADE OUT is already filling that Phillips/Brubaker sized hole I keep in my heart.
3 – D4VE
by Valentin Ramon + Ryan Ferrier
At least now you’ll know why I hate Ryan Ferrier. He is this good. D4VE is another book skirting between a score of genres, and in the end defining itself as its own island in the seas of narrative conventions.
This is easily one of the funniest comics I read this year, while also having some kick ass action moments, and it was all strung together by dense, fun, and well acted art from Ramon. The story of D4VE’s midlife crisis amidst an alien invasion is so perfectly done. For $4 all up on ComiXology, I defy you to find better value.
Also, this book has been picked up by IDW for issue distribution before a trade collection in 2015. Get on that.
2 – DEADLY CLASS
by Wes Craig + Rick Remender
This book came out of nowhere and sledgehammered me in the face. But that’s not fair, it didn’t come out of nowhere, I saw it coming the whole time. BLACK SCIENCE was the Remender jam I was looking for – I’m a child of EC comics and I super dug his FEAR AGENT. And I am enjoying that sci fi romp over there but here, in the tumultuous school for assassins where Remender dumps all his youthful truths, I am at play with the synapse fireworks of a god.
And if the delightfully truthful teen yarns cranked up to eleven in the stakes don’t do it for you, then bloody well sit down and let me introduce you to Wes Craig. His art in this book is another process cache where we see scenes play out in different ways, pages used in the most experimental ways. I love everything about this book. That’s the gods honest truth.
1 – HAWKEYE
by David Aja, Annie Wu, + Matt Fraction
A weird yet sublime crime comic mashing up other genres…yeah, ‘You rannngggggggg?’ — this is exactly where my wheelhouse lays its foundations.
But seriously, this book is a process wonderland. And it’s funny. And it handles action perfectly. And it made me care about two leads I could not have cared less about for all the last three decades of my life. HAWKEYE is the book here I’m most looking forward to dusting off my old floppies of and revisiting in a few years’ time. This is a four colour storm in a teacup and we all need to be glad it’s been captured, and then learn the subtle lessons on display.
And so, these are my choices for books I dug this year. I hope you have a tidy list of 10 at hand. Tell a friend, they’ll thank you for it.
I love resolutions, they’re the sure fire way to level up (ymmv). I dig ’em, and found 2014 to be a good time to add another arrow to my quiver. The big add on for 2014 was my goal to:
READ ONE COMIC EVERY DAY
In 2013, I found there would be days where I was working late, stressing about writing, writing for too long, and so never reading at all, and it just wasn’t a great idea. In fact, it was no doubt a fast track to burning out. Plus, I like to read, and I was missing it because reading is rad and fun and shouldn’t be seen as this devil taking me away from writing. So I set this goal so I would allow myself that spare 5-10 minutes to just pick up a comic, read it guilt free, and enjoy it. As such, I read well over 365 comics for the year, which is a lot of trades, and floppies, and digital copies, so I kept up on good stuff, and caught up on old rad stuff.
I know feel like I’ll make this part of my daily routine. It’s a lifechanger, and that’s part of a resolution, it shouldn’t just be for the 365, it should be for life. And I believe this is. Like in 2013, I dropped chocolate completely, and then in 2014 I ate chocolate maybe a dozen times, if that. I’m happy to have the very odd piece, but it was nice to eliminate it and feel that echo out beyond 2013.
And with such success, here we go for another round.
Continue to read, at least, one comic a day.
I crushed this in 2014 and want to consciously keep it rolling. Good things should not fall by the wayside, this kept me up on a few books, and made me feel it was okay to set aside this time.
I am thinking about making this part of the night’s warm up, but I also know I like having a little four colour reward waiting for me when I get to it – the problem lies in when I feel like I never get to it.
Read 10 novel pages a day
My novel reading is zero, let’s be honest. I have some rad novels sitting around, waiting, hoping – hell, my brother just wrote one, and I need to read that business – it’s time to crack into them. It’ll keep my brain sharp. It’ll broaden my horizons. I’m looking forward to allowing myself time to do this again. I was also gonna add on ‘read one article a day’ but think maybe that can wait…maybe until I’m full time (hahahahaha, so never :|).
Start the night with an hour of Internet free writing
Sub goal, this will require a list before those 60 minutes start so no time is wasted at all.
This one feels like it could be key. At night, I make my coffee, I sit down, and now I want to write. No email yet, no Facebook scrolls, no alt-tab to Twitter, none of that. Just time to bash out what’s been waiting all day to happen. I gotta stop writing until 1am and thinking I can teach the next day with a straight brain/face/soul. I need to be more effective, and early. This is my aim.
Surprise your wife – hopefully once a fortnight
Date nights, sleep ins, small gifts, sneaky messages – putting it here to remind myself, and show I’m not some remorseless process machine.
She deserves it, and I get wrapped up. Let’s change this.
Think of my kids – always
Get them gifts, call them up, leave them sneaky messages in their room and on Facebook for their mother to show them.
This I’m excited for, just to ensure I see the world differently – I see a range of opportunities to please them. Because that is my job.
Aaaaand, this is enough. You never want to go overboard on these ones. I’m keeping one that’s working, making it a lifelong thing. I’m adding a warm up of the 10 novel pages, and I’m hoping this hour right into the writing comes around.
Beyond that, just be a better person/man/husband/father. I should be doing these already, but we can all always do better. Make it happen, however you can.
Have a rad 2015, peeps, let’s tear a hole in the sun *fly kicks the air*
Over at Eat.Geek.Play they asked me to make them a mixtape.
I tried to slap together a variety of things, the sorts of things that inspire me and fuel my process. A peek into what’s on as I work, but also what’s been on before that’s shaped my brain. Because when I work, I have playlists for tone and projects and I use them like prescription. Music has always been a great mental trigger for me. That’s why music also attaches to memories so well for me. Certain songs/albums/bands really define periods of my life, friendships, and relationships. I like having that ability to delve into an album and have my heart transported somewhere else for 45 minutes. It can really help the writing sometimes.
Rereading the post, I realise how real I get in a few entries. It’s nice to write about real stuff. We should always be honest.
Enjoy the tunes, peeps.
I wanna talk about modern movies that might be better in B+W.
I recently read an old article discussing 10 modern flicks that would work great in B+W. The list is tight – watch the RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK clip and tell me it’s not better in B+W. They also list THE LAST SEDUCTION which will always win my heart.
Now, if I ever have the chance, I want to watch some other flicks in black and white. I wish I could make some clips up now, but I’m a fool when it comes to this sort of rad stuff, so instead I’ll purely list some titles with some chatter – and I’ve done a few pics because I love you all so much. I hope you dig.
SOME MODERN FLICKS THAT I THINK MIGHT BE COOL IN B+W
THE PROPOSITION – this Aussie western noir is possibly the best flick this country has ever produced. It is damn good. It’s shot with some amazing colours – all drab and moody – but I’d love to take a stab at it in B+W.
SE7EN – this seems like a no brainer. The flick is already so rainy and nasty, but as a B+W, man, that mood would just drop.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER – This is more an experiment than any sort of guarantee, but I think it’d change the impact of the violence and the tone of the piece and the whole would come out even further grounded and dark. I mean, look below, that’s pretty tight, right?
INCEPTION – maybe this would work. I’d certainly be down to see it try.
ENTER THE DRAGON – I actually don’t think this would work, but I am all down for trying. Who knows, right?
BODY HEAT – I had to pause and reflect on whether this already is B+W but it’s not, and it totally should be.
PONTYPOOL – the visuals run second fiddle to the sound on this one anyway, so why not mute them? Make this underground radio station really feel claustrophobic.
PAN’S LABYRINTH – del Toro shoots with such certainty and passion that’s it’s difficult to suggest altering his vision but look at the photo below, tell me this wouldn’t work?
THE EVIL DEAD – another I had to wonder if it wasn’t already B+W. Low budget, one location, spooky jumps – this would work for B+W so well.
MILLER’S CROSSING – this film feels like it would work, so I’ll give it a go, but there is uncertainty in my heart.
VIDEODROME – there has to be a Cronenberg in this bunch. I think this would take on a more weary bleak tone in B+W and that would be just fine.
BRICK – bit of a gimme really. An obvious choice but one that would be so cool to see.
THE LOOKOUT – an oft forgotten gem from Scott Frank, The Lookout is a twisted weird heist flick, and it would only bury deeper into itself with this lack of colour.
And—
THE ROCKFORD FILES – I would watch all of this.
I’d be interested to know your suggestions for some B+W flicks (or TV). I know, for me, thinking of B+W TV reminds me of watching old midday movies with my mother, old Hitchcock flicks, old moody pieces that shaped my pre-teen years. Just looking at the B+W pics above stirs a response in me. I love B+W flicks. I wish I had more time for them.
Gotta go.
Things around the web I’ve read, dug, and wanted to share – YMMV
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The Time I Spent On A Commercial Whaling Ship Totally Changed My Perspective On The World – possibly one of the greatest articles online you will ever read – oof – http://www.clickhole.com/blogpost/time-i-spent-commercial-whaling-ship-totally-chang-768
A quick chat with Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin in the upcoming DAREDEVIL Netflix series – man, I am so pumped for this, it’s like a dream come true – D’Onofrio looks fantastic as Fisk in that photo – I really should write something about the show before I see it, then something after it – http://screencrush.com/daredevil-vincent-donofrio-interview-kingpin-exclusive/
Frank Miller talks about writing for Hollywood – he might be a little koo-koo but his general idea of not seeing Hollywood writing as the ‘step up’ is great, it might be more pay, but it won’t be anywhere near as satisfying, or true to creative vision, and I think that’s important to know – I now need to get my hands on Playboy for this interview – I love Playboy interviews – http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/08/20/frank-miller-bashes-the-dark-knight-superman-and-hollywood-2208725?lt_source=external,manual#bJeJK6
SHOWRUNNERS – some excerpts of tv showrunners talking about breaking in, and ending stories – Damon Lindelof and Steven S DeKnight among them – http://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/08/22/damon-lindelof-showrunners/?hootPostID=fc1895fdf79c9913bb318faaf50b0b70
Talking the visual style of SHUTTER, SAGA, and THE PRIVATE EYE – thinking about the density and diversity of background – an interesting read – http://www.popmatters.com/column/183716-shutter-saga-and-the-private-eye-showcase-the-best-of-what-comics-ca/
It’s always educational to reflect on the year you just imbibed. I have to admit, having a new baby (and it making two for the house) and scoring some larger writing gigs meant my pop culture intake was down a lot this year. I kept abreast of the best comics around but everything else suffered. Nonetheless, here’s some stuff I dug in 2013.
Top Comic – FATALE
I read the first 3 issues of this and then completely fell off. The singles I bought kept stacking up. The more I hadn’t read the more insurmountable it felt to catch back up, but I kept buying the floppies and I know I’d get there one day. And holy cats am I glad I did.
FATALE is the sort of comic that does what it does exactly as it should so if you want a crime horror comic then this is quite simply perfect for you. For my wheelhouse, this comic is king. I spent a sick day off work reading like 14 of these issues in a row and it was insane how good this book is. I’ve long been a fan of SLEEPER/CRIMINAL/INCOGNITO and this book ably joins the gang as a perennial favourite. Philips is just at the top of his game now where he’s stacking these panels densely and with intense purpose. The writing from Brubaker is airtight with every word feeling like it slipped from an aging paperback. The pacing and plot are great but there’s a tonne of little lines and moments that will stop you and inspire you. I wanted to go write for days straight after reading these issues.
I’ll also say, yeah, I dig this book more than SAGA. And I dig SAGA a lot but this book is just that touch more perfect, and more perfect for me.
Honourable Mentions
HAWKEYE – the top cape book right now (sans capes). This book does so many things right and it’s a process treasure trove.
THE MASSIVE – I love the singularity of this book, it’s like nothing else. The characters all pop, the art teams are so damn fine, and I’m liking the whole painting this story provides.
SEX CRIMINALS – I did not see this coming at all. This romance comic (and that’s what it is) is so damn real and beautiful. This should be the only Valentine’s Day present anyone ever needs again.
LOCKE & KEY – it finally ended and I’m so damn sad.
EAST OF WEST – another entry I was dubious about and yet caught up on the first trade’s worth of floppies and my oh my this book is tight. Hickman delivers a slew of simply amazing lines and Dragotta’s always been great.
ULTRANOVA – my favourite indie one-shot this year, Peterson and Ferrier drop a cerebral sci fi tale that stuck with me all damn year. Buy it on the cheap right here and thank me later!
HIGH CRIMES – the best Monkeybrain book by far this year, Moustafa and Sebela craft this beautiful and intricate character study amidst high altitude crime shenanigans. Also, possibly the best covers of the year.
FIVE GHOSTS – Man, this pulp massacre is just fun to read and so pretty to look at.
DAREDEVIL – Samnee and Waid brought me right back into the fold this year. Some great stories and always gorgeous.
THE WAKE – this is basically an action movie with solid characterisation and I’m digging these mermaids.
SAGA – it is a very good book, don’t you know?
STRANGE NATION – I know I write a column in it, but that doesn’t stop this book thoroughly entertaining me with every issue.
D4VE – only one issue dropped but it was so good. Ramon and Ferrier are doing a book like nothing else, and the sort of thing that should insta-open any door in the industry.
BLACK SCIENCE – I finished reading this and could see the problems with it and yet didn’t care because it was so much fun. I like fun comics.
Special Shout Out
FEAR AGENT LIBRARY EDITION VOL 1 – I finally read this beast and it was beyond brilliant. The art at that size is like nothing else. Remender feels really pure and raw in these pages. It’s pulp sci fi. There is every reason for me to love this book. I don’t even mind that Vol 2 keeps getting delayed. if it’s going to come out this good, I’m happy to wait.
Top Book – Fiction – JOYLAND
This tight pulp thriller from Stephen King through Hard Case Crime was better than I had expected. King is back on a high for me after the very very good 11.22.63 so I hoped for this and he really delivered. The overall plot isn’t too insanely intricate, and parts of the resolution do less than wow, but the craft with which King plans and executes his chapters is like a study of razor precision. There are many great lines in this book and that’s something I really appreciate now – someone who beyond plot knows how to use their words.
This also has me hoping for DOCTOR SLEEP to be good. I’m a fifth of the way in, and I’m enjoying it, and I’m such a fan of THE SHINING that it has to prove itself as good enough to exist so here’s hoping for the coming weeks/months.
Top Book – Non-Fic – MARVEL COMICS: THE UNTOLD STORY
This was a stellar read. I’m kind of the ideal audience as I love comics but also love the behind the scenes malarkey just as much but I cannot state enough how interesting some of the history of Marvel Comics really is. As someone who kind of knew some of this, and knows all the people and characters, this was a perfect read. Sean Howe did a very good job assembling this.
Top Movie – PACIFIC RIM
I’ll have to admit, I think these are the only two flicks I saw at the cinema this year. Admitting this makes me so sad. And while iron Man 3 might prove out to be the better film, I give this to PACIFIC RIM because it was just so enjoyable to watch. I haven’t felt that happy and in awe for a while so it made for a very rad night out. And sometimes I just want a flick to entertain me on the purest level. It’s like PREDATOR, brilliant because it entertains. This flick, the same thing. Though this screenplay was a touch more off in places (really off in some) but I could overlook the cheese and obvious set ups and logic holes just so I could get on with enjoying the show.
Honourable Mentions
IRON MAN 3 – a Shane Black cape flick that plays out exactly how you’d imagine such a flick to play out.
Top TV – BREAKING BAD S5 Part 2
Really, how could there be anything else? This show is the great American novel written in front of us over 6 years. This show had the best writing of any and the character arcs were beyond anything else ever attempted and the writing offered it up but every single actor nailed it. The show ended on a perfect noir note. There will be little else this good in our future.
Honourable Mentions
HANNIBAL – this show is my selection to take up BREAKING BAD’s throne. Deft writing, creative cinematography, superb acting, and an end note that if they can stick it right in S2 will show the world this series is a true contender. And I wasn’t even going to watch this show because who the hell needed more Lecter in our lives? I humbly rescinded my first opinion and now cannot wait until February.
THE WALKING DEAD – I continue to enjoy this show.
Special Shout Outs
TERRIERS – whoo, boy, this show was built for me. I really hope it gets kickstarted one day VERONICA MARS style because that would be immense. I also wish it was a comic, and I could write it.
THE WIRE S4 – I finally watched this. It seems THE WIRE is taking me years to watch. But when I pop a season on, I shotgun the hell out of it. And this one was about teaching so it hit me very hard.
Top Music – ENTER THE DRAGON OST
I discovered Spotify and my life has changed. Man, they have everything on there. So I’ve fiendishly been making playlists for projects but I also set up a list titled OST madness and it’s got a tonne of soundtracks on there, and first up is the ENTER THE DRAGON OST. It’s just great, for starters, but I also wrote a kung fu one-shot you’ll be seeing this year and the dna of this music is infused to its pulpy core.
Top Podcast – LET’S TALK COMICS
This is a late entry but it’s kind of the perfect podcast for me. It’s not shilling, it’s just career talk, process chat, open words. Great creators come on and discuss how and where they started and then every step along the way to breaking in and staying in. It’s fascinating stuff. It’s like the best parts of Word Balloon, which I still love.
Honourable Mentions
NERDIST – with the right guest, this show is amazing.
NERDIST WRITER’S ROOM – I find I don’t even know half the names but it’s all writing process (mostly tv but it all rings true). They also now have a comics themed segment of eps on the pod, and it’s pretty good.
WORD BALLOON – always good, Siuntres knows how to do his job.
VODKA O’CLOCK – this gives smaller creators the chance to chat (myself included) and I like that view from the underground, plus Amber is a top host and superb person.
POP CULTURE HOUND – another great interview show, and they get a wide variety of good guests.
COMICS EXPERIENCE MAKE COMICS – this started on the iFanboy podcast and is now it’s own thing. Good, short, clear, snippets of process talk focusing on one section of the game at a time.
THE Q+A – film chat pod where Jeff Goldsmith asks all the right questions.
FATMAN ON BATMAN – when they have the right guest, and Smith doesn’t get in the way, this can go some really interesting places.
Top iApp – WUNDERLIST
A late discovery but something that’s clearing up my head. It’s just making lists and you have the ability to tick off what you’ve done and it moves down but you can still see it all. You can also add due dates, this helps me not freak out too much. It’s also free, which means the world to me because I am cheap.
Honourable Mentions
ComiXology – gotta love the sales.
Zite – an intriguing media reading aggregating/personalising app that’s bringing me new content to read (when I ever have the time).
Coffitivity – this sounds like such a stupid app, but I kind of love it 😐
Dropbox – perfect for viewing the pretty art people send me on the fly.
Top Kid – My Second One
She is gorgeous, adorable, cute, insane, and constantly learning little things (tonight she played peek-a-book with her towel and my heart grew three sizes). The perfect person to round out our little family.
So, that’s been my 2013. I hope yours was just as rad 😀
Without Fear 