Behind My Byline

Lately I have discovered that networks are putting entire TV shows on youtube. For example, CBS’ audience network has a whole collection of original Star Trek shows online in their entirety! How sweet is that? You have to have ads which is always annoying, but it’s a small price to pay to watch a masterpiece such as Mirror Mirror or Space Seed on your computer anytime you want. I suppose if you have a DVD player on ur machine (I do) or a blue ray disc player you can bypass the ads, but that costs money.
Take a look!

Yesterday I was saddened to hear that the fine actor of Mexican heritage (pictured here) Ricardo Montalban passed away at age 88. When I told some people about it at work, some remarked they were too young to know who he was, but actually even if you never saw him in the role he is best remembered by in the TV show Fantasy Island, (the plane! the plane!) some will always remember him for his role as genetic superman Khan Noonien Singh from the Star Trek episode “Space Seed.”

Montalban was also in several of the Planet of the Apes movies but he reprised his roles as Khan in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan which many sci fi aficionados (including myself) consider the best Star Trek movie and one of the finest (if not the very best) sci fi flick of all time.

It’s hard to imagine the Trek franchise without recalling what a fantastic job Montalban did as Khan in both the TV show and especially the movie. His tactical battle against Admiral James T. Kirk (he was promoted to Admiral by the time this movie was made but demoted again to the rank of Captain later) and some of the best dialogue in the film make this a memorable experience, not to mention the fact it was also Kirstie Allie’s cinematic debut.

What’s not to love? Kirstie Allie as a Vulcan starfleet officer, (“You go right on quoting regulations”), the Genesis device, and the death of Spock. This movie has it all including some of the very best action in all the Star Trek movie sequels.

By the way here’s my favorite scene of the entire film:

Our sagging economy has claimed yet another victim. I got an email late last week saying that Wizard World L.A. had been postponed and Wizard World Texas was going to be cancelled. I have been attending the L.A. show for three years now, although a few years back it was held in Long Beach.

I was pretty disappointed to hear the L.A. show had been postponed. What does this mean anyway? Will they hold it later in the year? It was originally scheduled for March 13-15 and like I said I had been looking forward to it until I read the press release.

No indication was given why both shows were cancelled on the email but the Wizard website makes it known that it was “due to the current economic climate.” I had noticed that last year’s show seemed smaller in terms of attendees than previous years, but I attributed it to the change in venue and other factors.

Thanks a lot George W. Bush for ruining the economy and getting rid of Wizard World!
Maybe if things are financially stable for me by summer, I may make a trip to Chicago and attend Wizard World Chicago which is highly popular and is going on as planned.

Sorry that there were few posts in the past couple of weeks, honestly my plan was to post the best of 2008 list but a trip to San Francisco to visit friends and family in Pacifica limited computer time. Now that I am back, I would like to point out that the San Diego Chargers were one of the best sports stories of 2008. The Chargers had a very underwhelming and terrible season as they began the 2008 campaign without their best defensive player Shawn Merriman who had to be operated on both knees. Without Merriman who contributed 33.5 sacks last year and is a monster on the defensive end position, SD lost most of its pass rush and defensive cordinator Ted Cotrell was fired mid season.

After losing too many close games to count, SD found itself outside looking into the playoffs with an abyssmal 4-8 record and an outside shot of making the playoffs. Just when it looked like the Denver Broncos would run away with the western division, they fell flat losing all their December games and the Chargers caught fire winning all of theirs. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a better team in December games than the Chargers who have won 14 straight dating back to 2005. San Diego took their momentum into the playoffs and won last Saturday’s Wild Card game against the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts in thrilling fashion, an overtime touchdown run by Darren Sproles who had over 300 all purpose yards led to a second round fight with Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. Nobody gives the Chargers a chance against the Steeelrs but I am going to tell you why they have a chance to win:

1. The Chargers are on a roll, the Steelers are not necessarily on one, even though they are tough to beat at home

2. Pittsburgh QB Ben Rothlisberger is injured, absorbing a big hit in last week’s game. He may not be 100 percent

3. The Chargers’ defense has come to life under new coordinator Ron Rivera and gave up only one big play vs. Payton Manning and the Colts

4. Darren Sproles! Go Bolts!!!

I could not compile a list of the best of 2008 without including Buffy Season #8. For the second consecutive year, I place this Dark Horse series among the top of the comic book heap and not just because I am a huge Buffy fan (Though that certainly helps its case) but also because it’s one of the most inventive and well crafted comic of its genre.

Forget the fact that this show translated to another medium hasn’t lost any of the wit, well written characterization or snappy dialogue associated with the defunct TV series, and don’t take into consideration the fact that even those who were not regular comic book readers sought out the book in order to follow the titular vampire slayer’s latest adventures. The fact remains that Dark Horse hasn’t skimped on artistic talent or overdone its marketing to promote the book. The Buffy brand still sells because it’s a quality iconic universe which has been crafted by Joss Whedon and company and which has been further added to in 2008 by the likes of Jeph Loeb, Brian K. Vaughn and Drew Goddard.

In addition to fleshing out the new “big bad” of the season Twilight, Buffy and her cohorts have battled familiar foes, deranged zombies and military goons, suffered through emotional losses and new relationships. Buffy’s relationship with Satsu was handled well, instead of being a titallating affair, it had all the subtlety and developed organically from the inherent needs of the storyline, as relationships tend to happen in real life. Then in issues 16-19 brought back Melaka Fray, the Slayer from the future which was first introduced by Whedon in 2001. The inevitable crossover mined the rich story potential of both universes, even if the payoff was ultimately less satisfying than her re-introduction.

The latest comic (issue 20) is a stand alone issue which travels back in time to the High School days at Sunnydale High. Though long gone, it was nice to see characters like Cordelia Chase and the dynamics of the scoobies once again. This story was initially penned by Jeph Leob for the Buffy animated series which never got picked up and just a glance through the pages of animation by Eric Wright, Ethen Beavers and Adam Van Wyk or the exquisite altertane cover by Georges Jeanty is enough to make any true Buffy fan sorry that this project never got off the ground.  In an era where blue chip comic books by A grade creators ship later and later, Dark Horse should be commended for bringing us 12 excellent issues of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 in 2008. I only wish there had been an annual.

There are best of the year lists all over TV, magazines and media outlets and Behind My Byline is no different. I start off by listing one of the best comic books of the year, if not the very best. It’s Umbrella Academy “God Save the President”#1. Although this Dark Horse masterpiece written by Gerard Way (Of My Chemical Romance fame) and illustrated by Gabriel Ba is listed as a #1 issue, it’s actually a continuation of the earlier mini series which launched the entire enterprise.

In God Save the President, Way continues the story of the Umbrella Academy, even after their lives have been both literally and figuratively shattered and his adroit use of flashbacks and narrative structure craft one of the most enjoyable stories in comics. Ba’s contributions are excellent, his style is well suited for this quirky type of comic book featuring exaggerated but poignant facial expressions and dynamic action sequences from giant statues coming to life to attack the heroes to a standoff in a parking lot which is both beautifully rendered and action packed.

It’s the way in which Umbrella Academy takes risks in virtually every panel by conforming to superhero conventions and then using those conventions to launch off into a magical new visual feast for the eyes and the senses that gives this book a special place on my pull list. 

Sometimes, as good as Way’s dialouge is, it becomes irrelevant as the comic’s sense of pacing and Ba’s expert renditions move the story along with both flare and nuance. This is by far one hell of a comic book series, always an enjoyable read and as such, one of the best comics of 2008.

A movie review!

I’m taking a break from my usual reviews of comics and comic related movies to do a mini-review of this film because I saw it this weekend with my good friend Massiel Bobadilla. Massiel and I met while we both worked on the Mt. SAC newspaper together and she now works writing for a website (though don’t ask me which because I forget.)

I was in a bit of a funk due to some personal problems and she’s a good friend that listens to me whenever I need to talk and she had to write a review of this movie for work so I tagged along with her and another friend.

Overall, this is a good holiday themed movie, there are a myriad of good performances including a nice susprise role by Debra Messing.  Even though John Leguizamo is not one of my favorite actors, he does a good solid job in this story about a dysfunctional Puerto Rican-American family which get together for a holiday reunion. Even though there are some predictable moments in the film, I would say that these did not interfere with my enjoyment of it as a whole. It is cheesy at times, but even though the characters are all given subplots to work out and they eventually all come to a head like a powder keg, the pacing is good enough to make you want to keep watching until the inevitable resolution of every minor conflict presented in the film.

Afterwards, we went to get milke tea and boba at a tea place in the village in Walnut while watching shooting starts streaking from the city sky. Usually you have to go camping to see them and they are not quite visible from the city. It was quite cool. Right now I am quite busy as I am sure is everyone else finalizing holiday plans and finishing up xmas shopping. I have a whole stable of comics sitting in my hard drive which I have yet to get to, but am dying to. The end of 2008 is shaping off to be a busy one.

Not a bad issue at all, wrapping up the Fray/Buffy universe crossover storyline. This issue was delayed and smart reviewers online have pointed out that its lateness mirrors the wait fans of the original “Fray” series had to endure to read the final chapter of the original 2001 story.

It does feel as the climax for this issue was a little predictable and maybe would have benefited from one more chapter. I enjoyed seeing Willow go dark again, even if we are talking about a different timeline or different reality but the inevitable confrontation with Buffy and Fray doesn’t pack nearly as much power as it should have.

Moline’s pencils don’t do the comic justice as his artwork seems below par of what he was producing in earlier chapters of the arc. In the opening installments, he depicted a dazzling futuristic world replete with flying cars and other minutia, but the latter part of this comic especially is flimsy at best devoid of some of that detail.

Of course, there’s the brilliant Whedonesque dialogue which is a requisite of any Buffy comic present in Xander and Dawn in the forest against the forest creatures where a few chestnuts are the byproduct of Xander’s sardonic wit. We have been so spoiled by it for so long that we don’t always appreciate it.

There’s an interesting reveal at the end of the comic which I won’t spoil. It looks as though the next issue may be a stand alone romp the kind that succeeded in issue five, and as interesting as I find alternative timelines, I am glad to get the climax to the Frey universe and to return to the story proper in the current Buffy universe. I hope more of the regulars come back like Giles. It’s hard to believe that this comic has been so good for 19 issues and there hasn’t been a single appearance by any vampires with a soul. Because of contractual issues with IDW, I am not sure we will ever see them, though that would be a pity.

South hills and quarterback Cameron Deen play in the quarterfinals tonight against Diamond Ranch

Sorry I have been mostly absent for so long. Yesterday’s thanksgiving celebration was a much needed break from last week where layout for the newspaper and covering events sapped most of my energies and time.

Today’s quaterfinal  CIF playoff game between South Hills and Diamond Ranch which I am covering tonight for the Walnut paper will probably mark the end of the prep football season for me. No more frantic drives to the Tribune offices to type up stories following the game on friday nights. No more cursing at myself if I accidentally take a wrong turn that may cost me precious moments on deadline. No more playing musical chairs, trying to find the designated computer station assigned to me in the prep department by the editors prior to typing up a story. From now on, I can take my time as the Walnut paper is weekly and has less strict deadlines.

According to the SGV Tribune, South Hills is coming into the game with a lot of question marks. All Star linebackers Wayne Goss and Chris Bowdne may not be healthy enough to play. Defensive end Alex Barrios will not play after being ejected in last week’s first round victory over Schurr. It remains to be seen whether the Huskies will match Diamond Ranch’s intensity. Despite a sub .500 record, DRanch knocked of Muir 21-7 to win their fourth consecutive game last week.   Should be a pretty good matchup. Happy thanksgiving weekend to everyone.

What a difference a couple of days make. Last thursday I was in Chino Hills covering the Chino Hills-Diamond Bar game for the Walnut paper and just a few days later, brush fires raging out of control had forced some people to evacuate their homes.

These last few days have been crazy, it’s pretty scary to know that fires have been raging out of control all around us, Sunday and Monday they were as close as Diamond Bar which is only about 15 minute drive to Covina. You can go outside and smell the fires. On saturday I was driving back from an event in Fullerton, but in actuallity it would be more accurate to say that I was trying to get home because the 57 freeway was shut down for awhile in both directions. The fires were so close, it was so dark at 1 PM you would have thought it was evening time. I remember brushing off ashes from my friend’s shoulder as soot rained down on her.

 The students at Citrus College have a pretty good first hand account of what went on in the Brea and Fullerton and sorrounding areas. It was pretty amazing.