timmybauer

You must now go to the church of the White Snake, get down upon your knees and make supplication.

I'm taking the Patriots. They are a better balanced team. But the Eagles will keep it close, no blow out here. I am mostly cheering for Dillon. I know McNab is a good guy who is due, but Owens puts me off. My guess is 24-21.

On the Sci-fi channel, it is a cheese-o-licious certainty. Only decent original thing produced there has been the Battlestar Galactica series.

Dolphins fan myself. Lived with a Cowboys fan for a while, pretty irrational he was. :)

Possibly interesting sidenote: I was at the Chargers/Dolphins playoff game that is considered the greatest game of all time. Anyone remember it? Came down to a Rolph Binerske OT fieldgoal, had the hook/latch play to end the first half, Charlie Joyner and Kellen Winslow had career games....great stuff.

If a twice-born again Christian became the writer on H.B., he would probably deal more directly with the Christian elements within H.B. than any other writer. I'm sure he would change the image of Heaven and Hell into more Christian terms.

John Constantine's whole world is subjective to the whims of the TRUE gods of the DC/Vertigo universe:i.e. the writer and artist!

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This got me thinking that as a "twice-born again Christian" how I would write Hellblazer. Honestly I would de-emphasize the Judeo-Christian elements for a while. I'd like to see what John knows about Abdul Al-Hazred, the Compte D'Erlette and Freidrich Von Junzt (sp?)

I have always thought that Constantine regards both Heaven and Hell pretty much the same, namely as corrupt authorities trying to lord it over humanity. He hates both camps for this and really wants nothing to do with either of them. However, I realize that there is quite a bit of Ennis' in this perspective. For Jenkins' there seems to be a bit more hope for John in Heaven. I am specifically thinking of the issue with the Tarot card cover where there is a fox and Jesus shows up as a gypsy tarot card reader. How can I reconcile these two differing opinions about Heaven? As Christian said above, it is in the eye of the writer.

I have always seen John as a Hermetic mage/ kitchen witch. His power lies mainly in two areas. First he is an occult lawyer without peer. He knows that hell runs according to a very specific set of rules (Hermetism) and that if he plays by those rules he can play with fire without getting burnt. Second, he is a bastard con man also without peer. He has most of Hell and some fallen angels believing he is more powerful that he actually is. If they were to ever call his bluff, it would all be over in a heart beat. This is the aspect I love about Constantine. The genius is when he bends his knowledge of occult law to the breaking point in order to pull off his cons.

One last thought...I don't have any continuity problems with there being major and minor demons, devils, Rainbow Serpents, and Incan/ Aztec death gods because that is a biblical cosmology. Read between the lines of Genesis 1 and play spot the Babylonian god. There is no contradiction.

Impressed I am Mark. Quite impressed. And the way that Jesus uses this Commandment provides the follower of Christ with a definitive commentary on it's usage.

Do they have Border's in London? I subscribe to their email newsletter, and about once a month I get a 25% off any book coupon which I use to buy the trades I pine for. Perhaps others might try this strategy insead of relying on Amazon or somesuch? Just a suggestion.

My only complaint with the All His Engines was the brevity. I wish it could have been much longer and built up with more depth. But I understand space constraints. Other than that I thought it was great. I enjoyed the Demonic Mafia angle. I also enjoyed the reappearance of Conjob after a very long absence.

Now then, let me reveal my ignorance and ask what the "O" in OGN represents?

By the by, someone grouped Camus with Nihlists. Camus is an Existentialist, not a Nihlist. The two are different.

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I did it Christian under the supposition that Nihilists are a sub-group of Existentialism and thus sometimes the lines blur. I'm sure my position is not what is well understood in most philosophy texts, but it helps me make sense of some of it. Call Camus Nihilist-lite if you like.

There is a reason linked to punishment that we no longer age to such advanced years. It is linked to the flood. If you are still interested I will dig a little deeper. Suffice it to say it was not arbitrary on God's part.

As far as "You shall not kill" I understand the context to mean "kill with malice, or murder" as in the Law (Torah) there are numerous other codes which relate to instances we moderns would call manslaughter, capital punishment, self-defense, war etc. And God is executing the examples you have brought up as forms of punishment for the rebellion/disobedience against Him as He is the ultimate standard by which the covenant was established with mankind first with Adam, second with Noah, third with Abraham, and fourth with Moses and Joshua.

I'd also like to state that I believe Nietschze was extremely close to the Truth. He is by far my favorite philospher, that is as much as I understand him.

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Could you explain that? I'm intrigued.

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Actually Red I don't have the time to get to deep into it right now, but I may say more later. I see an affinity between some of Darwin's teachings and Nietschze's in the concept of survival of the fittest, natural selection, etc. I believe the Nihilists (Sarte and Camus included) saw deeply into the absurdity of our existence. Deeply into the inate evil within the heart of mankind. The will to power so to speak. I also sense this absurdity. Only I believe that God exists and enters our reality to bring it meaning and purpose. Without God providing purpose and meaning, life and reality is indeed meaningless and thus absurd.

Thanks John for looking. I emailed Mr. Hitchcock and we talked back and forth. He said there was a company which had the printing rights that might have it. I emailed them as well and so far I have had no reply. I find it strange that they would publish issue #2 before publishing #1 which is the order they indicate on their website. Oh well, I'll keep hoping.

Not overly "religious" the way I define it, but I very strongly believe in God as He is revealed in the Bible and Jesus the Christ. And I try to live the example He (Jesus) has set for us.

I'd like to add that I am intrigued by the Nietschzean elements in Superman.

I'd also like to state that I believe Nietschze was extremely close to the Truth. He is by far my favorite philospher, that is as much as I understand him.

This might not be popular John, but might you determine entries based on need and inability to obtain said books? Just a thought.

Honestly, I haven't been following any of the film related stuff very closely but I will definitely say that based upon the trailers I have seen, the film Constantine is much more "centrist" in his opinion about God that either Ennis' or Ellis' extremely anti-religion takes on Constantine. Jenkins' drew a much softer portrait of John's religiosity in relation to God than any other Hellblazer writer but still maintained John's role as outsider. In the trailers John seems more akin to the Phantom Stranger as if were on God's team which of course is Hellblazer blasphemy in my opinion.

I relate to John as outsider in regards to God and organized Christianity because this how I feel related to my own Southern Baptist Convention, at times it seems my faith and my people are completely at odds in regard to what we deem priority. I prioritize sharing my faith and trying to make the world a safer place for the other outsiders (the poor, the sick, the exploited). My convention seems to prioritize keeping the undesirables out of the special FrozenChosen country club in the sky.

See sarcasm, cynicism and following Christ are not mutually exclusive.

Rogan the scene I mentioned is in Swamp Thing #70 or the trade James mentioned. I re-read it last night and didn't find it quite as funny as the first time. I guess I was feeling snarky and really getting into Conjob's cynicism back then.

Give me a chance to check my comics for the exact issues Rogan before you go spending any time/money, I'm not completely certain of the actual issues.

Swamp Thing 70 or 71 I think.

I AM BAYTOR!

That freakin' kills me everytime. I have a few that bring back some fond memories of hilarity. First is Kelley Jones' The Hammer. Just to much fun in a spoofy Lovecraftian kind of way. I really wish he would do more.

Second is Liberty Meadows. At times I really laugh out loud with this one.

But I have to say the best moment for me is when Constantine is playing with that little Idiot Savant Kid trying to get him to give up the flight that was going to crash and Conjob makes up these stories with the kids DC superhero dolls. As a person who thinks supertights are stupid, I enjoyed the cynicism.

Anybody got one or know where one is hiding? I'm lookin' at you Brits.

I for one have always pined for a novelized Conjob so I will be waiting impatiently for the books to see print. I will look for Demons to see your style Mr. Shirley. Much luck.

Rogan, leave my first sentence alone, I can see how ripe it is for your special ministrations.

never though Inca was as girl, mostly because I used to read his name as "electric Inca", which I pictured as an Incan ruler with a Christmas/fairy lights crown. And they all were men, of course.

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That's pretty much how I picture Electric Inca.

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Me too, kind of a combo of the new S. America demon in All HIs Engines and the violin playing nerd Timothy Busfield.

I am amazed by how much Rogan looks like his avatars.

Put a goatee on mine and we are twins!

we get lots of foreign football on public tv, mostly the Spanish and Italian leagues. The English premier league is an on and off affair. I suspect it's much too expensive and the networks can't really afford it.

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As a rabid lover of soccer/football I am extermely envious that you get to see ANY games. We get next to none. No highlights on ESPN, nothing. Every week there is a Premiership game on FoxSports Ohio that is usually edited down to fit neatly into a pre-determined timeslot. And we do get to see a Champions League game or two each month. Of couse both of these are broadcast at 2 or 3 pm while I am at work.

I do get at least 6 basketball games simultaneously on Saturdays though. Heaven forbid we miss a dunk and the subsequent flexing.

Sure Lou, Jordan had his vices, but he wasn't a thug like Iverson, Spreewell, et al. Even Magic was a raving womanizer. Wilt the Stilt too for that matter. My point is the growing glorification of thugs in the NBA since Jordan's day. Prince is certainly no thug, and I am certain there are many more good guys who contribute to their communities, but right now in this NBA, they don't get the press, they don't get the admiration, or the big endorsements. Of course the jury is still out on guys like LeBron James.

*Sigh* It just isn't MY NBA anymore Lou. That's all I mean. *Sigh*

Never was a big fan of Jordan Lou. Sure he was probably the single best player to NBA has ever seen, but overall, I would take Magic or Bird over Jordan anyday. He certainly was the last non-thug that's for sure.