MS. Prom Debacle
Original UsaToday Story
Lesbian teens in America have a lot of things to worry about, having their prom canceled because of intolerance shouldn’t be one of them. I first read this story and was sickened by the hate. No matter how the small town in MS colors this, that’s what it boils down to. This girl deserves her prom, and it’s nice to see established Lesbian celebrities, such as Wanda Sykes and Ellen Degeneres stepping up and offering scholarships and appearances for the young lady, but they shouldn’t have had to in the first place. Also big ups to Green Day and other “straight” Celebs for lending a hand.
The good old boy network wasn’t done yet either. After the ACLU and other civil rights organizations got involved, they seemed to relent. Unfortunately what happened next was only what I could think of as a plan hatched by some drunken rednecks, because they are the only group of people that I think could find the following funny. The straight kids got their own prom, and the Lesbian teen was told to go to another spot, with the implication that her classmates would be there. So this young woman and
This is a nation that is supposed to be stronger because of all the different people we have, not a nation that discriminates against sexual preference, race, gender, or any other dividing line, yet that is our history. We killed the hell out of the Native Americans, enslaved and killed the Africans, and have killed Gay and lesbian citizens. So much for All Men being created equal.
Turf #1
I like to try and read books have a hook. A mob war between Vampires, 1920s gangsters, and aliens was solid enough for me to try out at least the first issue of this new Image Comics series.
The setting is the always interesting roaring twenties, with dames, speakeasies, and prohibition all on the Isle of Manhattan. The art in this book is appropriate to the setting, with dark hues, and period appropriate dress. The problem comes in where there are so many word balloons and captions, you cant really appreciate everything. I understand that this is a five issue series, and with such an ambitious story there is a lot you need to convey to the reader, but a lot of the captions are things that the art should be able to convey to the reader. Each page feels claustrophobic, and not in a way that adds to the pacing of the book.
With all of that out of the way, the characters are interesting, well written, and have beautiful design. The concept is not mishandled, and in throwing together these story elements that would be easy to do. I like the realistic approach to the Vampires in this story. They are handled well, as is the Manhattan Mob.
This book is going to get my money next month because of the positives, but is really close to being a drop. I’m hoping they don;t have to try and cram so much into each panel in the next few issues, and tell the story in a more economical way.
3 Dented Fangs out of 5.
Shield #1
First off, I need to give a shout out to Joe at Comix connection in Mechanicsburg, for giving me his copy of this book. Just another reason I shop there every damn week for my comics.
I’m also going to try and review this thing without spoilers because maybe not everyone has gotten their copy of the book yet.
Onto the book….
A great start to a promising series. The first issue of this reminds of the pacing in the first arc of Immortal Iron Fist. You get a lot of history to go along with your main story, and it fits in fine with the epic scope of this book. The more established characters they use to tie this series into the Marvel Universe proper are great choices. The threats that this secret society have dealt with are some of the biggest in Marvel History. I can’t wait personally to see how they have done with some of the things they have dealt with.
The new characters introduced seem interesting so far. Overall the character design in this book is some of the nicest I’ve seen in a long time. The art itself is good, and definitely feeds into the ambiance of the title. I really dig the cover, with it’s distinct images, and breakdown.
My one beef with the book is that it is going to be Bi-Monthly. This almost seems like a minor quibble, but bi-monthly books historically don’t do well. I understand that right now Hickman has his hands full, but this book could be the title that really shows his style off the best. I hope the publishing schedule doesn’t kill such a promising book.
4 Brood Queens out of 5.
The Five Deadly Venoms
After reviewing a mediocre Kung-Fu movie, I decided it was time to review one of the greatest. This masterpiece of the genre was directed by Chang Cheh, one of the more prolific and talented directors in the Shaw Brothers’ stable.
The plot is this: An old master is dying. He is the head of the Legendary Poison Clan. His old partner had absconded with funds from the clan, and his past pupils knew about this, but not where the old man had gone. The old Master before dying charges his newest pupil with checking in on his old students, who each know a signature brand of Kung-Fu, and if they are doing evil deeds, eliminate them. There is the Lizard, the Toad, Centipede, Scorpion, and the Snake. The beauty of this set up is that each student has a visually unique style with distinct strengths and weaknesses. The new pupil is no match for any of the old pupils, unless he teams with one of them to take on all the others.
The old master sends his newest student to the town where he last knew of his old partner living. From there, there is a small mystery of who is which of the Five Deadly Venoms, and which one the newest member of the Poison Clan will team up with to right the wrongs of the others.
The fights in this movie are choreographed wonderfully, and again each style is represented well. The characters are some of the most engaging in the genre, and it helps a simple plot become great.
Clips from this movie will be familiar to fans of the Wu-Tang clan, as this is one of the Rza’s favorite movies, and some of the dialogue has been sampled into a few of their songs.
Unlike other Dragon Dynasty picture’s re-releases, the sound in this flick is impeccable.
All around one of the best the genre has to offer.
5 Deadly Venoms out of 5.
Decent story, Just do some research
This is a nice story by a writer who is a respected martial artist.
There are a few things that caught my attention. If referencing Shaolin beliefs, Ch’an is the preferred term for their Buddhism, and not Zen. Zen is the Japanese translation of Ch’an.
Terminology isn’t such a huge problem but recommending the DVD that the author did is. (Shaolin Wheel of Life) These are not the Shaolin monks of legend, instead they are a creation of the People’s Republic of China. In 1931, ALL of the Shaolin grandmasters emigrated to the United States to avoid death and persecution. What we have today in China at the government renovated temples, are practitioners of Wushu. Wushu as defined by these practitioners does not refer to combat martial arts, but a sport that Chairman Mao and his committees devised for a non-combat demonstration sport. The entire point to these performers is to trade on the Shaolin name, and increase China’s burgeoning tourist industry.
Shaolin Monks believe that any martial art should be practical and usable in a life or death situation. These performers are talented, but please think of them more as Cirque De’ Soleil rather than Bruce Lee. The performances are beautiful to watch, but please remember that by buying a DVD or watching a live performance by these artists , you support the Chinese government. If this doesn’t bother you, by all means, enjoy the show. just be educated about what you actually support.
The Shaolin Grandmasters’ Text
Whether interested in history, old Kung Fu movies, or philosophy, this is a beautiful book to own. Filled with history of ancient China, the Shaolin Order, and other Buddhist sects, this book covers a lot of ground.
Written in a very conversational style, the book grabs the reader in the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Most of the book is based on the oral history kept by the monks of this Ch’an Buddhist sect. Kill Bill fans will appreciate the story of who Pak Mei was, and women will be glad to read about the equal rights position that the Shaolin have held for centuries. The stories of the monks fleeing the Red Army of China, and resettling in America are touching and filled with what seems to be longing for a traditional homeland, before communism, and the abuses of the early 20th Century to now.
Kung-fu fans will not be disappointed in this volume. The book details traditional Shaolin training methods, and forms of Kung-Fu, with forms and histories of these revered styles.
Buddhists hoping to read about this enigmatic sect also will have their hands full. The history, Kung-Fu, meditations, and stories in this book all come back to the most important part of these monks lives: Their Buddhism. The comparisons in the book between different sects of Buddhism, and definitions of terms are great for any novice or even experienced practitioner to teach themselves.
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Definitely recommend it for anyone looking to learn about another culture. A bonus to buying this book is that the proceeds go to helping fund the Shaolin in the United States.
5 Namastes out of 5.
Return to the 36th Chamber
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin by the Shaw Brothers may be one of the most perfect kung-fu movies ever made. This sequel trades on that name and goodwill with mixed results.
We start in a village overrun by the evil Manchus. The main business in this town is a silk dyeing plant. Manchus show up and start up sabotage the workers by giving them inferior dyes to tint their silks with. The owner of the business hires the Manchus, and in order to pay them will be docking all the workers 20% of their pay. A fight breaks out and the Manchu show their dominance and beat the workers with sticks. While licking their wounds form their beating, one of the worker’s brother shows up. This guy is a con artist who dresses up in different roles in order to beg money from the townspeople. One of his more popular gigs is dressing up as a Shaolin monk named Shan Te. (This is the Gordon Liu character from The 36th chamber of Shaolin. He also plays the con man in this film.) The mental juggernauts of the village decide that the beggar should impersonate the monk, so he can bargain for them with the Manchu. What follows are some genuinely funny scenes of the townspeople and Gordon Liu trying to con the Manchu into believing that the beggar is actually the Monk. The head Manchu doesn’t buy it, and asks the beggar to fight him to show his true skill. Liu tries to get out of it, and ends up blowing his cover. This leads to the townspeople getting another beating with sticks.
The beggar decides that this is his fault, and most of the people that put him up to the farce agree. So, Liu’s character decides to get real kung fu skills by entering the Shaolin Temple. More hijinks ensue with Gordon Liu trying to enter the temple and bypassing the Monk’s security. The twist is, that the real Shan Te is at this temple. He lets Liu’s character in, and from here the end of the previous 36th chamber movie is enacted with minor twists. Gordon liu goes through some interesting training scenes, and ends up being kicked out of the temple, and fighting for the townspeople, and winning them their fair share of wages from the evil Manchu.
The print on this disc is great and completely restored. The audio is a little soft in some places, and the dubbing gets confused at some spots.
The big beef with this disc is that there are no special features to speak of. This is very disappointing coming from a Dragon Dynasty re-release. Most of their discs have come with interviews and retrospectives, and to have nothing on this disc is out of the norm.
Overall, I would suggest this as a rent.
3 grasshoppers out of 5.
Entertainment deficit disorder 