Christian

You'd never be able to touch the quality of DeMatteis' mini-series though ;) .

God, that was a beautiful mini. I remember it touching me very deeply when I read it. I should reread that soon.... Add that to my list of "must read DeMatteis comics" over on the "Sing My Praises" thread!

I like "Mono". The only things I own by them are a few songs on some compilations though.

Eminem is the new Weird Al....Priceless! :lol:

New reason to hate Christmas (see:Christfuckingmas thread if you didn't know there were any), come late Oct.-early Nov. it seems that there are floods of new albums that I want to buy! I'm pretty sure these bands try to negotiate their released in the Autumn, for Christmas buying pressure, but it could just be my paranoia.

Anyway, REM has a new CD that I must own before too long!

Plus, Chevelle has a new CD. I don't listen to very much "new" music, but for whatever reason, I have grown to just adore Chevelle.

And, Perfect Circle has a new release due in early-Nov. I've always been a huge Tool fan. Even when I outgrew the moody angst-rock of bands like "Nine Inch Nails", I have never strayed from loving Tool (or Maynard related projects).

Has anyone else heard their cover of the Beatles' "Imagine"?

Comparing RATM & Jane's Addiction:

ummm....Haven't you just described most EVERY hard rock/heavy metal band at one point or another in their career, Andy?! :lol:

I was never arrested.

I was forced to flee America and change my name and forge a new background, then later I was expelled from Canada. That's all though! :)

I think that most areas of expertise, interests, talents, studies, whatever you wanna call them are ALL equally important (in their own ways)!

Not everyone knows how to or has the skills to build a house or a car. Not everyone likes to spend all their time in a book or studying the differing interpretations of the "meaning of life". All of these are useful, and none are better than any other! They're just our own personal talents/skills/expertise!

NOTE:I did say MOST when I posted this. B)

Because it's his book.... :lol: Good one! I liked that!

Wolf's been getting some really good jokes in lately. I think he's kicking Rogan's ass on this new site.

I think this whole demon thing can be surmised by the old "Nature vs. Nurture" debate.

God is ALL soul, Rogan. You've gotta read that short-short story by Ellison....Funny stuff!

"And yes, Rosa has badly underestimated John, and will pay BADLY for that mistake"

Red-Were you referring to his decision to drop this book before issue #200?

Speaking of Rosa, that character Rosacarnis in that H.B. book? We don't know who her mother is, do we? I'm thinking that Rosacarnis is the offspring of Nergal and a human female. Could explain why she might seem more crafty than most demons. Also, she seemed to be treated differently than the rest of Hell when she appears alongside demons.

:lol:

OMG! I think I'm having a minor heart attack laughing so hard about the "Superman had to pay off a major debt" thing....

:lol:

Tom-I'm going to take your criticism of those Ostrander series seriously, and not spend any money hunting down back-issues. Glad I read that before I started shelling out the bucks!

Did you read his "Hawkworld" series? Is that worth buying?

Just don't inform the authorities, and there'll be a nice place for you in our New World Order.....

Everyone else, just pretend that this conversation between Lou and I never happened.....

Good!

This is not the topic where I tell everyone I woke up tonite with blood on my pants, my shirt was ripped, and I was missing a tooth! This is a fucking true story!

I get an E-mail from some friends I have at the UofMichigan-Flint campus(Students for Social Change Org.). They say something about a Psychiatrist coming to speak on campus who claims he can cure homosexuality. Want to know if I want to come listen in on this discussion and do a protest afterwards. So, stupidly, I go....

Yeah! It's some fucking guy who owns a Christian Ministry and (apparently) have a profession as a Psychiatrist. He shows a movie which shows us that "homosexuality is caused by boy children who don't have a strong male influence in their life. They will turn away from their G.I.Joes and toy trucks and start dressing in mommy's clothes and playing My Little Pony."(obviously the fact that there are women who are homosexual escaped the grasp of this idiot!) I think it was one of those left-over films they made in America in the 1950s.

After this appalingly LONG 15-minute disgrace of a disgusting film, the man went on to talk about how he's seen marked recovery in homosexuals who visit his practice. His cure consists of intensive psychotherapy and, if the patient does not respond to that, fucking electroshock therapy!

He claims that "God" gave him this mission in life. I wanted to ask him "as a psychiatrist, do you not have a name for a person who hears external voices in their head telling them what to do?!"

The remainder of this "exhibition" was audience questions, where if the people actually asked him a serious question, he would usually reply with, "I can't really answer your question at this time."

I finally had to walk out when he began whining about "knowing what it is like to be oppressed"..... :rolleyes: The last resort of the scoundrel, eh?

The only questions he seemed able to answer were ones by students asking him, "I'm a born again Christian with God in my heart. At first, I believed homosexuality was a concious sin on the part of the person. This made me very sad as I have homosexual friends, but I was afraid to offend them by offering my opinions. Now, according to your film, I can see that homosexuality is actually a mental disorder. How can I convince my friends that they need help without scaring them away?" HALLELUJAH!

Other "interesting" bit from tonite:

1.Apparently, most of this guys patients are young kids who are forced to go by their parents.

2.Someone from the audience brought up the fact that one of the partners in this bigoted ministry was photographed at a "gay bar". The guy replied, "Well, yes, I know about this incident. But, he has never slept with any men. That's where the sickness comes in! Having sexual thoughts about same-sexes is not evil, as long as you are having your fulfilling relationships with a woman."

3.His co-host was a Korean woman, when the crowd showed unparelled support for the audience members who realized this guy was a nutcase, went on a tangent yelling about, "I come from Korea to this great land, because I heard America was the Land of the Free. I'm ashamed that you people are being so rude! I discovered these people who want to let people know there is help for them! We don't see these things in Korea. I thought America was supposed to be different!"

There was no rousing "USA! USA!" chant as there would've been at a Presidential election though.

From what I could tell, the vast majority of people in attendance were people who were there because they were disgusted by the mere thought of such "Backwards" thinking in the year 2004.

Christian is now going to bed and doesn't feel like getting up again for at least 48 hours.

See?! I told you all I didn't kill him! And, you said the same things about me the US govt. once said about Castro....for shame!

Oh wait....no you didn't. Everyone ignored what I said, as usual....

OK, life goes on. Chin up!

Awww....my Harlan was always looking for a fight with me....well, actually only when I woke him up. I'd do something, it'd wake him up, I'd go over by his cage, he'd do the teeth grind/click thing until I moved slowly away from the cage.

I hate to interrupt all this talk about anuses...But, "just grumpy old men"....

I'm pretty sure John is talking about me! At first, I felt upset that John made this whole elaborate thread just about moi, but then I grew cheerful that at least someone had made a thread about me....then, it all turned to talk of anuses, and I grew depressed....

Yay! Mark actually paid attention to me!

I've become like the fucking Zoidberg (see:"Futurama") of the Forums.... :(

Yes. I will admit that it took a few chapters for my interest to pique. It read like a Stephen King novel at first, but then the story really got started, and I couldn't put it down! I was sad when it was over.

Even though it was a video game to movie example, I think we can all agree that the "Mario Brothers" movie was a fine example of what Hollywood can do with video games.....

I'm still laughing about the seriousness the article related the part about "shooting nails from crucifed men".... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Can't wait for the breakfast cereal with the same!

With the way this movie was plotted and conceived, R-rating would just mean more sex, gratuitous violence, and swearing; none of which would fix any of the problems we point out in the film.

Yeah, I'd say it's PG-13 because it has some shocking horror scenes, probably has a few very violent moments, and there's a simulated sex scene (from what I've heard). Maybe because they actually kept some swearing in it from the comic, also? I also thinking keeping it PG-13 vs. PG appeals to the teenager demographic they are obviously going for. A 15 year old wouldn't want to see something his little sister/brother could see. They want something that they feel is "cutting edge" (ala the Buffy/Angel comparisons).

he he....little blue demon thing flying around....

he he....John Constanteen battles Shrek, the evil troll king....

I think this movie could be saved by having little surreal/absurdist touches thrown in, pretending to play them straight. I'd go see the movie if it didn't take itself seriously and realized it was a contrived piece of crap!

So, I'm wondering something then.

Demon Constantine still has most of the "weaknesses" of John, as John got his evil streak back by screwing Ellie someone here stated.

So, does this mean that all effects that the years of smoking, heavy drinking, the cancer have had on John's body were transferred into Demon John?

Because, seriously, a man of 51 who's lived the life that John has (his vices) would most probably be impotent.

Dress up for Halloween?! Yeah, like anyone could see me doing anything like that! You'd have a better chance of seeing me drinking some milk (without Vodka, mind)

I have a soft spot for Christmas in recent years, but I fear my pessimist nature is slowly winning more and more every year. I get all excited and happy around Christmas and start acting the fucking world has changed, but then by New Year's Day, I'm depressed and wondering where the fleeting magic went. Think I should just stay bitter, hateful, and angry all year. It'd save me some stress.

Well, yeah, sure the JLA is fictional. But, the Justice League that DeMatteis was writing was real....wasn't it?!

Nah, that's my own brand of "anti-American" humour, Josh.

Yes, Jack! John could be killed off and replaced by a younger, black haired guy who takes John's clothes and puts them on, thereby becoming THE ALL NEW, ALL IMPROVED HELLBLAZER! If sales don't improve after a year, the NEW HELLBLAZER could go to Hell and free John's soul, and they could TEAM UP!

On a serious note:I want to see the series end with John's death. No other ending will ever appease me for "Hellblazer".

Regardless of your take on Delano....cough....You have chosen some really good, underrated comic writers, Tom!

Most of the people on your list are snubbed by the "elite" comic readers who feel that they aren't as radical as a Gaiman or Morrison, but they do damn fine superhero stories! They care about the tradition of characters.

Yes, you're also right I forgot DeMatties' "Justice League" work. I was raving about it in "Comics I Read in Sept-Oct" so forgot to place it here. It's also one of my favourite comic series. I just discovered it recently.

LOU-Comic convention already?! Sorry, I have to be in Lansing for a meeting this coming weekend.

Maybe we can get together for one of those smaller shows we were talking about? The ones at the KNights of Columbas Hall.

Oh come on! Like the JLA is really selective about who they put in based on ability or character!

Yes, any character in any company can be a good read (or even intellectually stimulating) with the correct writer. DC has proven this time and again. That's mostly because they don't take themselves so seriously. Marvel (besides "Defenders" and a few other titles), acts like their characters are all REAL, ICONIC figures; so they must always be written seriously. DC realizes that a giant talking monkey is a STUPID idea, and plays with the idea.

I've never read "Aquaman", but I always liked "Sub Mariner" at Marvel and those characters are pretty much the same.

I've noticed that writers such as John Ostrander and Rick Veitch have worked on "Aquaman" in the past, so DC seems to be giving some respect to the guy (even if all he can do is talk to fishys, as Rogan said).

I don't know about that Rogan....

You obviously don't know much about the history of American Nationlism. Americans are so indoctrinated to believe that America is the "God granted greatest nation in history!"(copyright) that when they hear people saying "BAD THINGS" about their beloved country, they're ready to fight with you till the fucking death. This is the macho, jingoistic, red-neck bunch, mind. Not ALL people who are brainwashed are willing to get violent with anything they hear they don't agree with.

Man, it gets fucking scary in America when W. Bush is speaking or a "war" is declared. Barbarous people. It's very reminiscent of the scenes I've seen of Nazi Germany when Hitler would speak.

I'm not sure what you're referring to exactly, Josh. I'd like more clarification.

I don't see that big of a difference in Americans (in the context I gather you are referring to); especially with the Democrat, Republican, mainstream political movements. Even when it comes to independents who do not adhere to a party-line (Nader is still a member of the Green Party ideology, regardless of what he's saying), it seems that more of them have become more in-line with "Conservatives".

The OTHER America, politically speaking, is hard to find and a vast minority. It's hard to even say there is a plurality when it comes to politics in America. There are some divides (such as abortion, gay marriage, etc.), but nothing too radical. These are ideological issues, and we all know what Marx says about ideology.

The two Americas I see and refer to is one between Classes, where a rich minority is getting more and more wealth, while the rest of the classes continue to lose ground. It's a "Third Worldization" process, and it's been intensifying.

America is probably the least class concious part of the world! Americans have been taught that they live in a "classless society" (Rogan, put pun here if you choose? :lol: ) so long, and they somehow believe it! I really don't know how the elite convinced the people on this one....This is probably the greatest propaganda success in their history (even moreso than the International Communist Conspiracy, or the Marxism died with the Soviets theory).

I've heard that being shot by a gun counts as a "natural cause of death" in the US....

OK, the guy from "Dangerous Habits" who dies of cancer. I'd say he counts because John was touched enough to cry at the end of the story, and sing a song by the Pogues to boot!

That's what often happens in real life?! I think people just up and die all the time whether they had potential or not! Doesn't everyone have some type of potential in real life; somewhere, somehow, to someone?!

But, I agree that it's stupid to kill off characters just because they aren't being used anymore. Superhero comics usually do that for a big shock value, I'll use the example of the Legacy Virus in "X-Men". If you don't know, it was a virus that targeted mutants (it was an euphemism for AIDS). To make the virus look threatening, they had to kill off some mutants, so the readers would know it does have the ability to kill. Well, they killed off Illyana Rasputin, which was pretty major, (plus Pyro died off and on, if you count him as major) and then they dug up a bunch of former X-villains who hadn't been used but once, or that hadn't been seen in years. Not much impact other than to show that "Look! This virus can kill you! Look at all these guys getting killed!" :rolleyes:

So, please. We've already had H.B. compared to "X-Men" during Carey's run! Let's hope we never have to think that ever again!

I agree that if you're going to kill someone, don't find a guy John talked to in a pub in one issue who John said was his buddy, but who we never saw or heard from again! But, with John's life so introverted at this time, it does make it hard to find someone to kill off who's not going to come across in that fashion....

Ah, but the real question is, could Wolverine actually commit suicide?!

, "possibly after older John offers up his soul in exchange for releasing the coma patients "

Wait! John sells his soul, AGAIN, in this GN?! How many times can one man sell his damned soul?!

I agree with Abhi.

I think the BIG difference between W. Bush and the "common man" isn't so much intelligence or grammar, but the fact that W. Bush is a fucking billionaire, while most of us "common men" have trouble buying a new car!

It's pretty hard to relate to a guy who has no problem sending people's sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters overseas to kill more sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters; just so he can move his buddies' oil companies into the country and build new military outposts.