Last Christmas, my super-awesome boss, Joe Quesada, gave us super-awesome holiday gifts: Moleskin sketchbooks with MARVEL stamped on the front. Now, he always gives us cool presents, something Marvel that he has made so it's not something that can just be found anywhere, but I found this one to be particularly awesome.
Except for one thing: I can't draw.
I didn't want to waste this beautiful book (with excellent, thick paper) on notes or some random crappy scribbles, so I decided to finally start a sketchbook. With all these amazing artists that either know or have access too, it's silly that I haven't started this before. The main reason is, when I used to work at Jim Hanley's Universe (best comic shop in NYC), I met tons of artists at signings we held there, but would always just get sketches on backing boards. By the time I realised I should have started a book, I already had so many random boards with sketches on them, that I didn't want to start over.
But I'm glad I did. I've got some AMAZING pieces since I started this April. I've gone to a bunch of cons this year (New York Comicon, Emerald City in Seattle, Wizard World Philly, MOCCA in NYC, San Diego Comicon & the Toronto Fan Expo) and have filled up a substantial part of it already. I'm hoping to get a couple more at my final con this year, Baltimore Comicon.
So, I'll be posting these sketches here and there. I figured I'd start with my first one, by the lovely and talented Bryan Hitch. One of my favourite artists, both in talent and in friendship!
Eventually, I'll scan all my backer board sketches and post those, too.
Went to the Mets game last night with my (not-so) little (anymore) cousin. We were thrilled when the Mets were ahead of the Nationals 7-1 in the 3rd inning.
Then they blew it and gave up 6 runs so they tied it up (in the 5th, I think).
Then we pull ahead again getting another 4 runs (score: 7-11! hehehe — I'm a child).
Then they frakkin' get 3 more runs. Too close. Finally, bottom of the 8th, we get a couple more, and we manage to make it out of the 9th without giving up any more runs. Mets win 13-10.
Jeez. Our pitching is sorely lacking. We're just lucky their pitching was so crap too.
David Wright was a triple away from completing a cycle. Shucks. That would've been cool to see, especially since I got to see Reyes do it a year or two ago. I got to see Reyes beat the Mets record for most stolen bases in a players' career! And he stole another one for good measure. 283 so far, I believe. Love Reyes, even if he is an arrogant child sometimes. ;-)
Tatis was pretty great this game too. He had an amazing catch out in left field when he jumped like he was playing basketball, then tumbled around and kept it in his glove. He's now my #3 favourite player. #1-Reyes, #2-Wright. Duh. Love these boys:
90210 is back!!!! You're all as excited as I am, right? ;-) (Sorta spoilers below.)
I used to LOOOOOOVE this show. I had a the whole back of my bedroom door (and eventually some of the wall next to it) devoted to posters of this show and it's cast. (If you're lucky, I'll scan and post a picture if I can find it.) I will admit to giving up on it in the later seasons. I stopped around the Kelly Kapowski time (Tiffany Amber-Thiessen). I don't even know her character's name, but she'll always be Kelly to me (if you don't know what this is from, you're too young to be reading this blog anyway). I was looking up the original theme on youtube and came across a later season one that had all these actors on it that I'd never heard of!! There were like 8 new additions, including...HILLARY SWANK!! What?! I had NO idea. Hilarious.
Anyway, the new 90210 is two episodes in so far, and AWESOME. ;-) The cast is pretty cool, though I'm not sure about the main girl yet (the Brenda Walsh-esque girl). She's a little too goody-goody. It's got a similar premise, with a family from Kansas coming to live in Beverly Hills and they have to adjust, except the "Brandon" is a adopted black kid. Best part about this, though, is they come to live with their grandmother who was the mother on Arrested Development! Sweet! She's hilarious! The bitchy/popular/rich girl is great and you even feel bad for her at times. There's the "hot" rich kid, and the sweet guy who dated the bitch, etc. All filling their roles pretty decently.
My favourite new cast member is Erin Silver (just called "Silver" by friends), though. Firstly, b/c she's TOTALLY in continuity (me=geek)!! She's David Silver's and Kelly Taylor's half-sister! Awesome! That and she's super cute and the coolest one. LOVE. HER. And speaking of Kelly! Yes! Kelly's there! And she's got a kid! But whose kid is it?!?! Dylan? Brandon? Oooooohhhhh.... ;-) And Brenda visited on the first episode claiming to be in town for a month, so you know she'll be on others. (Well, that and seeing her in the coming attractions for future episodes. :-P) Excellent.
Also, the Kansas family mom is Aunt Becky from Full House!!! I used to love her on that show (though I still don't know how I sat through so many episodes of that crap). It's funny how the Walshes from the original series were hokey, actual-parent-looking parents, but in this series, they look young and attractive. ;-P
Ultimately, I don't think I'd watch it without all the first-series references b/c otherwise it's just another one of these teen dramas. The continuity stuff makes this show awesome for me (there's even a quick reference to Andrea Zuckerman's kid!!). Which is smart, b/c they'll definitely get more viewers that way. Viewers my age and thereabouts. Even my boss is watching this. hahaha I find it funny to be watching this teen show more interested in the adults. Like Kelly's possible romance and the handsome Kansas dad (who's the new principal). It's weird...and a little relieving. haha :-P
Anyway, if you watched 90210, so far this has definitely been satisfying, I highly recommend it! And also, if you liked 90210, here's a treat for you! I swear, I remember every frakkin' scene in this opener. Especially David Silver's hair...
And speaking of David Silver. I had a horrifying revelation last fall, which I have come to terms with and now accept. David Silver is hot now. Last year when I was watching The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Brian Austin Green joined the cast and I didn't realise it was him at first. I watched the episode thinking "Oh, this new guy is pretty cute. He looks familiar, though." When I finally realised who it was, I was pissed. David Silver is a dweeb! I can't like him! But I watched the new episode of that show on Monday (I like this show, also recommended) and no longer cared that it was David Silver. H.O.T. And HE gets a little bit of Megan Fox (actually, a lot). Lucky bastards. Man, I wish I was in show business...
The End.
PS It's amazing how many of my posts end with a guy I think is hot. And by amazing, I mean sad. ;-) (Not going to stop me, though. Ha!)
Today I got my Eli Manning (women-sized) jersey that I ordered from ebay and was disappointed because it was supposed to have the Superbowl XLII patch on the shoulder, but didn't. They guy was cool and offered a refund, but he doesn't have anymore of the correct one and I can't find this jersey anywhere with or without the patch, so I'm just going to keep it.
I wasn't always a Giants fan, in fact I've always HATED American football. But this year's Superbowl changed that. Well, at least for now it did. :)
Every year for the last six years, one of my friends from college has had a Superbowl party (and all but this year, they included a turducken which is the greatest thing ever — a duck stuffed inside a chicken, stuffed inside a turkey — but they are expensive and a pain to cook, so no more) and I have enjoyed going mainly for the food, a chance to catch up with my college pals and the football pool (last year I won $60!!). But this year, since the Giants were involved, and my boss and other co-workers are huge Giants fans (except my assistant, who likes the Patriots — HAHA), I decided to actually try to pay attention. (Also, my boss and another guy I work with pitched in and bought me a t-shirt to wear to the party.)
And what a great decision THAT was!!! That game was AWESOME!!! I'm sure most of you know about it, so I'm not going to explain the highlights. But this was the first year I actually paid attention and was ABLE to follow! (Previous years, I would ask the same questions about what a down was, etc., only to give up half-way through and not even watch anymore...AND forget the answers the next year.) I watched that thing so closely, getting stressed, pulling on my hair, and screaming and yelling when appropriate (always checking with the others that I was correct! haha). It was great, I was thrilled and I was now a Giants fan. I don't know how much football I'll be watching this year, but I'm going to try to keep up with them. And now I've got a jersey! :)
On a side-note, as I said before, my assistant is a Patriots fan. I'm sure you've heard about what happened to Tom Brady, right? Well, before he came in to work yesterday, my boss was talking about how he was going to be all upset because of a) Brady being out for the season could be disastrous for the Patriots and because b) he thinks "Tom Brady is his fantasy quarterback" (for his fantasy team.)
My response: "Yeah, mine too!" ;-) haha Have you SEEN this guy??? GORGEOUS! He should just screw the football and be a model or something. Or my sugar-daddy. Or both. ;-)
If you know me, you know I love the Mets. Currently my favourite baseball squadron is in first place, but only two games ahead. This is stressful, but awesome. If I thought God existed, I would be praying. And hopefully he'd be ignoring me because really, what a lame thing to pray for?! If I was God, I'd be like "Seriously? You're praying for your baseball team to win. Not to eradicate starvation or something? Baseball?!?!" haha
I was always a Mets fan, even as a kid. I've still got the replica '86 World Series ring, a giant button proclaiming them the victors and a poster of the '86 team. But I never ACTUALLY watched baseball. I just would say I liked them best. I don't know why for sure. My dad is a Yankees fan. The reasons I THINK I was a Mets fan was because a) I like the bright colours better and b) my dad's best friend (who I called "Uncle") is a Mets fan and I loved him. Who knows. But I went to my first Mets game in 2000 and I was hooked. I think I went to 14 games that year. To be fair, it WAS a great season for Mets fans, perfect timing for me. They made it to the Series again...and promptly fell apart. Thanks a lot, Benitez...grrrrr....
Anyway, sometime after that my mom started paying attention. She always liked the Mets too, but like me, didn't actually pay any attention to it. I think it started as something for her to do with me, you know, spend time with your only child. ;-) So we started going to games together. Now she has gone waaaaaaaaay past my level of fandom. This is the second year in a row that she's gotten a Sunday season pack (about 13 games) and she DVRs EVERY SINGLE GAME, including the ones she goes to. And she watches them. I just do NOT have that kind of time. And I'm not really into watching the games on TV. It's one of those things I'll put on if I'm doing stuff around the house, or switch to during commercials, but it's just too long and slow to watch when at home. Going to Shea is totally different. I LOVE that. (This year, though, I've come pretty close to my 2000 Shea-going level, I've got my tenth game this Wednesday and my 11th — and final — game on the 25th. I bought a 7-pack this year to have some quality time with my awesome younger cousin. Like mother, like daughter! haha)
SO! Last night my mother went to one of her Sunday games. It was the second game in a double -header against the Phillies and, thankfully, they won. The Phillies have been causing us a lot of trouble this year. Though my mother tells me we're (yes, I'm ON the Mets, did I not mention that?) 11-7 against them, so we've kicked their asses, I'd say. So, according to my mom, last night's game was amazing! She said the tension was high and the fans were riled up the whole time, almost as if it was a playoff game! She was sad I missed it. So am I. I was home watching Atonement.
But here's a great (and by great I mean pretty horrible, but it makes Phillies fans look like bigger assholes) story from the game my mother told me. Somewhere near where she was sitting, there was this kid with a homemade Mets banner. At some point a female Phillies fan (one my mother described as one of those girls that comes to games to traipse around looking cute and getting attention — we've had to endure girls like this before, running back and forth in front of us, clearly not actually giving a shit about the game), who was probably pissed off the Philles were losing, took the banner out of his hand and tore it up!! My mom said he looked about TWELVE!! What kind of bitch does this!??! Now, I've made no secret of the fact that I don't really like kids — don't want 'em, don't want to be around 'em — but even I wouldn't do something like that! Jeez! You shouldn't do it to ANYONE really, but especially not a kid! And not when you're visiting the stadium of HIS team. It'd be SLIGHTLY more acceptable if it was the other way around and he was waving his banner in Citizens Bank Park...but then, only SLIGHTLY. Apparently, they called security and had her escorted out, and surrounding fans actually patched up his banner for him. Awesome. I love the Mets.
Apparently this was a highly tense game and everyone was fighting. My mom saw some bloody guys too. Man, nothing gets people worked up like sports...especially when there's beer around!
So, just thought I'd share. Can wait to see my boys on Wednesday! Let's Go Mets!!!
Last night I was talking with Rob & Jill about riding my bike (since they've just gotten ones of their own). I haven't really ridden it much since the 5 Boro Bike Tour (super awesome), so when I woke up at 1 PM today (I didn't get home from the party until 3:30!!), feeling like I wasted half of the day already, and looked out the widow to see that it's FRAKKIN' BEAUTIFUL OUT, I decided to go for a ride.
I live on Staten Island, now I know this place is crap, but living near the boardwalk, that's one good thing about it. I have a great place to ride. I get nervous riding in the streets and anyway, it's not very scenic or relaxing even if I didn't. Riding along the boardwalk (there's a bike path next to it) is great. Especially when it's this FRAKKIN' BEAUTIFUL OUT! ;-P
So, it was fun, and this time, I took pictures! Here you go!
I don't know if anyone off the island knows this, but we've got wild turkeys!!! These dudes were hanging out under the boardwalk! There was a baby one I saw for a second but then couldn't find him again, so I don't have a picture of that. :-(
Anyway, the best part is riding underneath the Verrazano Bridge! So cool! I love this bridge. Riding my bike OVER it was my favourite part of the 5 Borough Bike Tour and the main reason I wanted to do the tour in the first place!
Also, when you get up this ridiculous hill (which is what goes under the bridge) you're at like an overlook thing where you can get a good view of Fort Wadsworth. Nice.
And of course, some self portraits... (It's sunny!)
Then I went to Miller Field (big giant field with a little playground and some sports grounds as well) and read some comics and some of the book I'm reading (Ten-Cent Plague) before coming home and blogging about it all. :-P I saw a cutie squirrel running with an acorn. Couldn't get a close-up...
...and here's by bike!
So that's that. Now I have to eat something. I've got a few more pictures here if you want to see.
Last Christmas, my super-awesome boss, Joe Quesada, gave us super-awesome holiday gifts: Moleskin sketchbooks with MARVEL stamped on the front. Now, he always gives us cool presents, something Marvel that he has made so it's not something that can just be found anywhere, but I found this one to be particularly awesome.
