Monday, February 1, 2016
I left Tucson in June of 2014, traveling with a group of 500 soccer fanatics to watch the World Cup in Brasil. We were hundreds of strangers from across the US and everyone seemed to bond almost immediately
Then, after two weeks, they were gone.
I next stayed with a friend from Brasil, though she usually had school and I spoke no Portuguese at the time.
Then, after two weeks, I was on my own again.
I worked in Bahia for a month, then left and never saw my coworkers again. I repeated the experience in Salvador. And Ecuador. And Peru. You see the pattern. I was surrounded by people who wouldn't stay in my life. I was alone in a crowd. I wanted a permanent travel companion, flexible and adventurous.
So I made my own.
First came the pattern. I found this nifty guide, printed out a PDF of the design, bought some fleece, and got to work.
I started with the arms and legs. They were the easiest pattern, and as I had never sewn before, the least noticeable if/when something went wrong.
Tags: IntoTheMild , Hobbes , Calvin and Hobbes , South America , Slideshow
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Pretty cool, right?
Linda Rondstadt also played in Tucson with another supergroup—The Rolling Stones—that same year. Coincidence? I think so. But still, you should listen to this:
Tags: linda ronstadt , c3po , rolling stones , pizzazz magazine , tucson , comics , Video
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
In the vast and twisted world of the horror gene there is a diverse and potent selection of ingredients to induce a nightmare. From slashers, to the supernatural, to creature features, zombies and all things beyond the grave, horror is a creative insight into the subjective nature of fear. Hell can look and feel like a lot of different things. Most of the monsters and ghoulies and people that scare us do so because they want, will or are currently trying to eat, maul, sacrifice or vamp us. Or else, they represent something inside in the dark bowels of human nature that frightens us of one another.
In the proud and spooky hall of genre icons, one big bad shines out for his kind of intellectual way of enjoying our sweet sufferings.
Pinhead, of Clive Barker’s horror-novel-verse and the Hellraiser film series, has been a staple of horror since he first stepped into this dimension in the 1986 novella, “The Hellbound Heart.”
After watching the rock star of the Cenobites completely tear souls apart with ripping hooks, chains and painful flesh removal throughout his long residency in books, films and comics, it’s hard to remember he was once just a couple of sentences.
Barker has always been open about his own surprise at the Pope of Hell’s journey to fame. He really hadn’t intended “Pinhead” to become a big star but he has sure been living with the monster all these long years. Pinhead was a bit of a puzzle box himself for his creator, Barker becoming synonymous with him above all his other works. ("Books of Blood" is a close second.)
Now, 25 years later, Barker has written one final Pinhead story, the last of the sadomasochistic hell priest in his erotic, twisted canon. “The Scarlet Gospels,” Barker’s long awaited new novel, left readers in a living Hell waiting years for him to write the long promised death of Pinhead. Released May 19, the novel marks Barker’s return to adult fiction and is the first sequel he has actually ever written to his original novella.
In a May article with Rue Morgue magazine, Barker spoke about his long promised plans of killing off his iconic and defining character.
Tags: Pinhead , Clive Barker , Girl on Gore , The Scarlet Gospels
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Tucson is ripe with stories. Important ones, happy ones, sad ones, funny ones and pissed off ones. With a population heavy with creative, humorous types, we are lucky to have skilled hands to take on every one of these tales. For the last 10 years, some of us here in Tucson have looked not to a person, but to a panda. A pissed off one.
Pissed OFF Panda, the brainchild of Tucson transplant Frank Powers, is a comic book character with a big chip on his shoulder. An outlet for his creator to speak on Tucson and life, the character's 13 years in existence have led into the development of a dedicated fan base, merchandise, Comic-Con appearances and now an upcoming, on-going comic series.
Powers says his character wasn’t so much a creation as it was a meeting of two like minds.
“He lets me vent about everything that I find mind-numbing and hate,” he says. “I didn’t just invent him though, I actually met Pissed OFF when I impulsively flew across the country because I was in love with a girl, wound up in San Diego and went to the San Diego Zoo. Their big thing is pandas so when I was in the gift shop, there was one doll that was sitting on the shelf and sticking out like a sore thumb. He looked mis-stitched and I said, 'Look at him! He looks Pissed OFF!'”
After coming to Tucson, Powers dug into the source material of the city, made up of eccentric characters and the strange, beloved places they inhabit. Pissed OFF’s world is one many of us were part of, the late hours and cups of coffee at the now closed Grill, formerly located at 100 E Congress St.
“I’d always wanted to make a book about Grill to capture all the insanity that the place offered," says Powers. "I have many creative projects, comics and characters and I realized I’d use all the projects as ingredients in one giant, Tucson-centric project. I merged my cartoon characters, life stories, Grill adventures, podcasting and everything into one succinct parody of Tucson. It’s all seen through the eyes of my angry little jerk of a cartoon character, Pissed OFF Panda- whose job is exactly what mine was- working the graveyard shift at Grill, which is alive and thrives in my cartoony-verse.”
Tags: Pissed OFF Panda , Frank Powers , Kickstarter , Comics , Comedy , Art , Tucson is Home of Funny People and Animals
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Supreme Court ruled against the Tucson inventor of a Spider-Man web shooter toy Monday, saying Marvel Entertainment no longer has to pay him royalties on its sale of the toy.A few weeks ago, the Weekly reported that nerds were taking over the world. Further evidence: Slate notes that Justice Elena Kagan loaded up her opinion with Spider-Man references:
Stephen Kimble had argued that a 1964 court ruling that banned royalty payments after a patent expired was outdated and anti-competitive, and needed to be overturned.
But the court, in a 6-3 decision, said it was bound by precedent, even if that “means sticking to some wrong decisions.” The opinion by Justice Elena Kagan said Congress is the proper venue for Kimble’s complaint.
Kimble said Monday he was disappointed with the ruling.
“It’s as if nobody is really defending this law, but they’re saying, ‘Go to Congress to change it, don’t come to us,'” he said in a phone interview. “It’s disappointing.”
Thursday, March 12, 2015
This week in Talking Comics we have the whole cast reviewing Princess Leia #1!
Set right after the destruction of Aldeeran we see how Princess Leia handles the loss of her home planet in Rebel fashion.
Written By Mark Waid, with art by Terry & Rachel Dodson
Long time co-host Jenny Cake Sweigert is venturing to Louisiana with her fiance to go find SwampThing or whatever you do in Louisiana.
She will be dearly missed and we wish her the best!
Watch the second video to see the cast tribute goodbye video for Jenny. It may or may not have been inspired by the hit song "Kiss by the Rose"- Seal, from Batman Forever.
Talking Comics is brought to you by Heroes & Villains comic book store
Tags: Princess Leia , Marvel , Comics , Star Wars , Terry Dodson , Rachel Dodson , Batman Forever , Seal , Video
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
This week in Talking Comics, Cynthia and Jenny review Zombies Vs Robots #1. The zombie apocalypse is here and the robots are on the humans' side. How cool is that? Go Team Humans!
This comic is made up of three stories by Anthony Diecidue, Ashley Wood, Chris Ryall, Steve Niles and Val Mayerik.
Also: a little sneak peek into what a post apocalyptic comic book by Cynthia & Jenny would look like. It includes Waka Flocka & Alpacas, the world isn't ready.
Thanks to James Alvarez for filming and editing.
Talking Comics is brought to you by Heroes & Villains Comic Book Store.
Tags: Zomies Vs Robots , IDW Comics , Zombies , Robots , Anthony Diecidue , Ashley Wood , Chris Ryall , Steve Niles , Val Mayerik , Talking Comics , Heroes and Villains , Waka Flocka Flame , Video
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Welcome back comic book folks! This week in Talking Comics, Cynthia and Malcolm review NAMELESS! Story by Grant Morrison, with art by Chris Burnham and Nathan Fairbairn.
You're going to want to pay attention to this one! It's all about dreams and has a few parallels to the 2010 movie "Inception." Also, there are fishpeople.
Saving the world through dreams. It's Inception meets Armageddon in a comic book.
Malcolm also gives us a glimpse into the dark-world of his nightmares, it's TERRIFYING!
Thanks to James Alvarez for help with video shooting and editing. Talking Comics is brought to you by Heroes & Villains comic book store.
Tags: Talking Comics , Comic books , Image Comics , Nameless , Grant Morrison , Chris Burnham , Nathan Fairbairn , Heroes & Villains , fishpeople , Video
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
It's Talking Comics Time again here at Tucson Weekly. For the first time ever, they're reviewing an entire graphic novel—Outcast, volume one, written by Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Paul Azaceta. This one is a bit spooky, and might keep you up after reading.
Brought to you by Heroes & Villains comic & gaming store.
Tags: Comics , Outcast , Robert Kirkman , Paul Azaceta , Heroes & Villains , Image Comics , Talking Comics , Video
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Talking Comics is back! Cynthia, Jenny, and Malcolm are on board for the whole season!
Kicking off the new year, Cynthia & Malcolm review Uncanny Avengers #1, written by Rick Remender with art by Daniel Acuna.
The Avengers are on Counter Earth a place where there are no humans, and "Tiger-face Man-Body" creatures rule the world. Also, a surprise at the end of the review!
Brought to you by Heroes & Villains comic & gaming store.
Tags: Talking Comics , Rick Remender , Daniel Acuna , Powerpuff Girls , Heroes & Villains , Marvel , AvengersNOW! , Video
