11 O'Clock Comics Episode 114

[Julian Lytle]

Fair enough. I think Julian would see a LOT of movies if he had the paper. I'm still not sure how one's opinion is more/less valid based on the price paid. Does that mean my thoughts on Fantastic Four #52 are better than most because I spent an ungodly amount on a NM copy decades after it came out? Does price matter that much as a barometer of objectivity?

Well I do see a lot actually, probably more than most. As I said I think only movie critics see more than me and some even better screening hustlers. Right now I've seen 20 films in the theater and that's only because really this year is kinda bad for film, I've purposely not gone to some. I loose about 5 hours going to a screening. I saw two films this week. My holy grail this year is Inception, I hope to get that.

[New Mutant]

Well I do see a lot actually, probably more than most. As I said I think only movie critics see more than me and some even better screening hustlers. Right now I've seen 20 films in the theater and that's only because really this year is kinda bad for film, I've purposely not gone to some. I loose about 5 hours going to a screening. I saw two films this week. My holy grail this year is Inception, I hope to get that.

What I think hasn't been discussed is HOW you get to see these films sans money.  Teach a brother.

[thefreakytiki]

What I think hasn't been discussed is HOW you get to see these films sans money.  Teach a brother.

My LCS has free passes every week.  Easy as can be.  Only problem is it's first come first serve.  You gotta get in line early like your waiting for the newest iPhone.  Eats up a lot of ones day.



the Tiki

[Julian Lytle]

What I think hasn't been discussed is HOW you get to see these films sans money.  Teach a brother.

Gofobo.com
filmmetro.com
certain places like tiki said
sometimes a studio site

But you're in the NYC area right? Yo real talk I bet you have people there SUPER DUPER early. But still it's all in looking. Movie reviewers don't watch these films in an empty theaters, there are film societies and sometimes the studio needs reactions.

[JimN]

Gofobo.com
filmmetro.com
certain places like tiki said
sometimes a studio site

Thanks, Julian! I'm going to look into this. I managed to get free passes to an advanced screening of Jonah Hex and I've decided I like this concept of seeing movies free.

Jim

[David]

Does price matter that much as a barometer of objectivity?

According to some, yes.

But I'd love to know how that makes sense.

[BurlIves]

I'm still not sure how one's opinion is more/less valid based on the price paid. Does that mean my thoughts on Fantastic Four #52 are better than most because I spent an ungodly amount on a NM copy decades after it came out? Does price matter that much as a barometer of objectivity?

It's not a question of validity.  But the price of admission can color your perception of the work, as can an infinity of other factors.  Doesn't change the work itself, mind, just your perception.  You have more invested, both financially and emotionally in something you pay for.  The fact that you pay a lot for a FF comic means you are probably less objective about it - that fact you were willing to to spend a lot on it means you have already made a judgement on it.

To achieve any kind of meaningful objectivity in an art review is probably futile.  The review is more about ourselves as critic than the object reviewed.  Isn't that what makes art valuable?

[Bmercier23]

Wow. Were there really no better voicemails to play? All his complaining about how the show has "sucked" (which they haven't - The Julian episode was HILARIOUS), it was rather weird! He thinks he knows how an episode should be, which is weird....What a creepy fan mentality....He's the only one ruining this episode for me!

Sorry to be negative guys, I love ya - But the voicemails were just a tad disturbing!

[Matt H.O.W.L.]

Wow. Were there really no better voicemails to play? All his complaining about how the show has "sucked" (which they haven't - The Julian episode was HILARIOUS), it was rather weird! He thinks he knows how an episode should be, which is weird....What a creepy fan mentality....He's the only one ruining this episode for me!

Sorry to be negative guys, I love ya - But the voicemails were just a tad disturbing!

Would it help if you pictured the caller leaving his messages while sitting in his poop and masturbating to the newest Guns & Ammo? 

[JimN]

Would it help if you pictured the caller leaving his messages while sitting in his poop and masturbating to the newest Guns & Ammo? 

That doesn't help AT ALL.

Jim

[Matt H.O.W.L.]

That doesn't help AT ALL.

Jim

Then you're on yr own. 

[LA Rabbit]

What I think hasn't been discussed is HOW you get to see these films sans money.  Teach a brother.

If you are out here in Los Angeles, they have them by the bucket.  If you are at a theater look for people with clipboards standing outside and desparate looks in their eyes trying to talk to people.  I think they have to give out so many flyers or they don't get fed.  Once you go to one, give them an email address and you will get at least 1 a week invites, and that is without trying.  The free weekly paper also gives them away.  But it is first come, first serve no guaranteed seating and you have to get there early.  Sometimes they have age limits and with kid flicks they often require a child to be with you.    Sometimes they are early crap screenings before they have finished all the F/X but usually they are ready to roll.  Of course most of them are films you would have to pay me to see.  When it is a popular film, I usually don't even bother as you really have to get there early.  When I first got out here I did quite a few of them, but now it isn't worth the extra time you lose standing in line.  I mean as I get older I realize my time has more value.  I used to get all kinds of free crap but it ain't free if it costs your time.   

Would it help if you pictured the caller leaving his messages while sitting in his poop and masturbating to the newest Guns & Ammo? 

Uhh, can you guys see me when I listen to the show, because I know it looks bad but I can explain.

[Matt H.O.W.L.]

Uhh, can you guys see me when I listen to the show, because I know it looks bad but I can explain.

The great Criswell sees all and knows all: Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future. You are interested in the unknown, the mysterious, the unexplainable. That is why you are here.

[Former Poet Laureate]

All I know is that after listening to this episode, is that: the callers demand more "NASE-MAN", and you've completely pooped the bed with the redneck demo.  Also, in sympathy with the caller, I will no longer read the Old Testament - it's far too "Jew-y".

Seriously, another great ep. Keep up the good work.

[Jeff B.]

I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Nase-man with the comment that "nothing has happened" in 2 issues of SHIELD.  I think a lot has happened and he is setting the groundwork for even more.  You can't build a house without laying the foundation first.  Hickman introduced so many big concepts I think it is going to take a while to go through them.  I think his intro issues of SHIELD are just as good as his intro issues of FF, which I thought were fantastic (see what I did there?).

I feel like comic creators are damned if they do, damned if they don't.  If they go too far outside the box and introduce high concepts and ideas, they get crapped on if not enough "happens"  What does that even mean?  Without going into spoiler territory one of the coolest scenes takes place in the hallway between SHIELD agents and Leonid's father.  That was just one of the many things that happened that issue.

I kinda feel like this is the same situation with Bendis' Avengers.  He has certainly taken a different approach with the team but I like it.  Sure there aren't as many fights but to be honest I don't want to watch a team fighting for 20 pages, there are enough Avengers books from the past out there that do that, and I can get that from other books as well.  And that is where the contradiction comes in for us comic fans.  I am sure if Bendis did the same old with the Avengers and had them fighting all the time there would be a segment of the comics community screaming that they want something different.  Right now he is sproviding us with something different and people still aren't happy.  I think Vince mentioned character moments and that is what I like about Bendis, I think he has added some depth to the characters in his books and made me care about some of the ones I didn't really care about before.  Sure you can get that in a fight as well but I think it's slightly different.

Either way, just wanted to add my two cents to the discussion.  Great episode, even if it was missing a little heeeat.  Good to see the voice mailers are staying off their meds and providing some great, albeit scary material for the show.

[Chris]

I hear what you're saying.

Shield #2 was better, and there were things that actually "happened" instead of people telling us what happened. It's still a problem with Hickman's work sometimes. BUT I do like his work in general.

On Bendis. The character moments would be easier to digest if everyone didn't sound like a 13 year old girl.

[JimN]

The great Criswell sees all and knows all: Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future. You are interested in the unknown, the mysterious, the unexplainable. That is why you are here.

Hail, Criswell!

Matt, I'm going to give you karma all day for that...

Jim

[Jeff B.]

I hear what you're saying.

Shield #2 was better, and there were things that actually "happened" instead of people telling us what happened. It's still a problem with Hickman's work sometimes. BUT I do like his work in general.

On Bendis. The character moments would be easier to digest if everyone didn't sound like a 13 year old girl.

 

Agree with Hickman, I think my feelings on both FF and Shield are based on potential, which as we know in sports is a nasty word.  Not counting his non-Marvel work, Hickman does not have a huge track record to go by for Marvel, and while I really like what he has done so far in setting the stage, he still does need to deliver on that.  Shield #1 was a lot of "here is what you need to know" so I am hoping for the showing part coming down the pike.  Maybe I am being more optimistic than others, but after reading Shield #1 I was giddy for the possibilities.

[Bob A Booie]

Yes the Jonah Hex trailer does indeed look God awful They went Will Smith Wild Wild West when they should have went Deadwood.

Now its just another thing to add to the list of things I will never ever be able to convince my non-comic reading friends to check out.... Along with Daredevil and anything with Bane in it.

[Kenney]

I think Chris raised some interesting points about Bendis. One thing I think might have been overlooked, though, is that while there might not be a ton of "new" (meaning brand new to comics) readers jumping onto Avengers books, there are a lot of current readers of comics who jump onto the books all after the fact, and those character moments are definitely beneficial to a good number of this type of reader.

I've been reading funny books for about 10 years now semi-regularly, but had no real exposure to, or affinity for, many Marvel characters until I jumped on board with New Avengers. So the talky stuff works for me. More than that, though, I actually really enjoy that stuff, sometimes more than the big slam bamm action stuff (which can feel as trite to me as the characters talking around the dinner table does to you). For example, I'm a total whore for scenes in DC that have the trinity just discussing shit.

So different strokes, for different folks, and all that jazz.

Also, I listen to another podcast, called Spider-man crawlspace, and they just reviewed Amazing Spider-man Shed. They pretty much ripped it apart. I'm not reading it, cause I'm over Amazing, but I like to get different takes on things.

Re: the caller. I did get a kick out of him talking about Wood's love of aggregate. It amused me because, like anyone you've listened to for hunderds of hours now, you can certainly identify words and phrases a person likes to fall back on. My favorite Wood-ism is the more understated "That's/It's un-HEARD of!"