Book Review: "Vampire Hunter D" - Less Sparkles Guaranteed!

     This is a review that I have been wanting to do for a long time now. Comic books have been a big part of where my passion to write comes from, but at times its good to get away from all of the imagery and let the words do the painting. There are very few books out there that I will actually sit down and read; and in those rare instances that I am being forced to read a book I have no interest in for college, wikipedia is the first place I go for the cliff notes. Maybe it's because I am stubborn about what I choose to object myself to, or perhaps it's because I realize how important my time is, and I am very selective of what worlds of imagination I want to dive into.

     In 2000 there was an animated movie released called, "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust." Sometime between its debut and 2005, a friend of mine rented the movie and we watched it together. He explained to me there was an older movie made in 80s called, "Vampire Hunter D," which served as a prequel to this film. Now, keep in mind, this was pre-Twilight craze. My appreciation for vampires was limited to the works of Ann Rice, and especially Gary Oldman's portrayal in "Dracula," in the live action movie. I fell in love with the Vampire Hunter D character very quickly and upon its release in 2005, the first novel "Vampire Hunter D," written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano, was translated and released by Dark Horse. That Christmas my friend got me the first novel and I have been collecting them ever since.

     "Vampire Hunter D" centers around its title character, D, who is a dhampir, or a half man half vampire. The time frame for which most of the stories are set is 12,090 A.D. The world has been ravaged by all sorts of global chaos and whats left of the world is ridden by the remnants of ancient battles of humans and vampires. The books are very vague on how they approach the past. A big part of the mystery is what makes the world so compelling, and I believe it allows the author to continually invent new things that would make for an appealing story. All we know as readers, is that at some point, vampires ruled the world, and in some ways they still do. The higher up vampires were known as Nobles, who were highly advanced, eternal creatures, who created many of the monstrosities and technologies that are forbidden and in ill need of repair, but still manage to curse the human population. The few human colonies that still exist are left in the dark about the Noble technology and continue to try and live peacefully in a dystopian, almost steam-punk like world, but still manage stumble upon ancient artifacts, and even, what remains of the living Nobles themselves.

     Some of the great qualities about the protagonist, D, is that he is always described as a very handsome boy who cause women to fall head over heals for him, and make men very jealous. He is very quiet, and is always alert of his surroundings. It is never really mentioned of who his parents were, but some hints lead us to believe D's father was the vampire king, and could quite possibly be Dracula. In D's left hand is a symbiote that's name is never mentioned. This hand usually is the comic relief in many scenes and is very powerful, and capable of sustaining himself while D is incapacitated. D relies on his companion to dispel powerful magic, and to aid him in locating various Nobles that he is hired to slay.

     One of the things I enjoy about the novels is that they have such a wonderful cast of characters that are well developed, and D is the only constant in an ever evolving story -- instead, D is used as a vehicle to introduce the other characters that make each story stand on its own. I would say that at times, each story doesn't feel completely unique from the others, but the formula that each book uses, makes such a fantastic adventure that you don't care. In most cases you will end up wanting to get to the next story, just to see what happens next to D.

     As of right now there are about 20+ full novels that have been written, and most of them have been translated for American audiences. 2 animated films have been made, and in 2007, Dark Horse began publishing manga adaptations for each of the novels. There have been many speculations as to there being a continuing anime series or a live action adaptation, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. So, no matter what your preference is, you too can enjoy Vampire Hunter D in some form or another. I would recommend watching the 2000 animated film as I did, and if it doesn't peak your interest, don't force yourself to read the books. Most of the novels and manga can be picked up at any comic book shop that has a nice variety of reading material. It seems to be occurring theme where I live, that comic shop owners don't actually realize they are carrying the novels, and they are usually shocked when I tell them what it is. My hope is that soon this wonderful story will be presented in a way to unknowing audiences, and that it will encourage them to, once again, believe that vampires don't sparkle in sunlight.

One of the best cosplays I have seen.

Game Spotlight: Marvel Avengers Vs. X-Men Dice Masters by Wizkids

    Today I’m excited for two reasons, the first being that it’s my birthday– the second is because I learned how to play the new Dice Masters game, Avengers vs. X-Men, from Wizkids. Most comic enthusiasts will pick up on the connection between the game title and the story arc that ran in 2012. I picked this game up at my local game shop the other night while looking for some cheap thrills, (it’s ok, my girlfriend was with me at the time.) Little did I know that the starter sets would be sold out the following day, due to a low shipment that Wizkids was supplying all of the retailers in my area with. It took a few days, but now that my classes are winding down, I was able to find time meet up with a couple of friends to play test this masterpiece of a game.

     I grew up as a fan of the Marvel Masterpiece collectable card sets way back in the early 90s. So, I am no stranger to the idea of collecting massive amounts of cardboard that serve no real purpose, other than to fulfill my interest in fine art. That said, the collectability of this game is very high, but even more than collecting the cards, is the enjoyment of collecting the dice. I think this game has found a very nice balance between a collectable card game, and something that can be played to fill in those gaps of the day between reading comics and doing homework.

     If you have ever played a deck building game, then you will notice some similarities and functions of this game. The premise, and goal of the game, is that you are recruiting a team of heroes and villains to fight for you, and ultimately, using them to reduce your opponent’s life total to zero. The game can be easily modified to your play style, from novice, to expert, and even to outright ridiculous—the more characters, the more strategy is required. In total, there are 132 cards available to play with. The starter deck can be purchased at a very reasonable $14.99 price tag, and will give you everything you need to play a two player game. One quick note is that the box indicates that two dice bags are included in the box; these bags are paper, and I would highly recommend getting something that you can easily reach your hand into.

      When opening the box you might find yourself a little overwhelmed by the amount of dice you are given, but don’t fret, you will only be using about 12-16 of them yourself. Of course, your opponent will be using just as many, so hopefully you will be able to find your target over the copious amounts of dice that will be blocking your line of sight from one another. Along with the dice there are 38 preselected cards that are a mixture of characters that you will choose from, and community cards that you and your opponent will be able to add to your deck that is composed of dice. An important fact about this game is that you will not be handling the cards. The cards will be place in front of you and your opponent at all times, but it is the dice that you will be adding to your pool of dice in place of each of those cards. The guide has a pretty easy tutorial on how you should start a basic game, but I found it helpful to watch videos online and get help from the local comic shop employee who already had some experience.

     To start a game, you need to first pick out the team you want to play with. Each character card has a unique ability(s) that can be triggered once a certain roll requirement has been met by that character’s dice. One of my arguments about the cards is that there are 2 or 3 different versions of the same character, usually a common, uncommon, and rare version; however, the art on the cards is the same for each one. I really hope that in the future sets they will increase the collectability by adding different pictures on each card. But, while we are on the topic of similarities, each dice is designated for a specific character, and no matter what version of the card you are using, those dice can be used for any version of the card. Having multiple dice for a card is actually a good thing, because the more dice you have for a character, increases the amount you can add to your dice/deck, and in turn increases the probability of drawing them each turn. This is where booster packs come in—in each booster you receive 2 random cards and 2 dice, one for each corresponding card. Boosters are only retailing for about .99 cents, which makes this game easily affordable. Once you have purchased the starter set, it wouldn’t be hard to have a booster draft using three random packs.
Once your team has been selected, you will then need to select the community cards, also called basic action cards. You can have up to 4 of these cards available for purchase in game, at any one time. Some of the dice that can only be gotten in the starter box have markings that will not correspond to any character card; these are either sidekick/energy dice, or community/basic action dice. Before the start of the game, you would place 3 of the same color basic action dice on one of the corresponding community cards. These dice may be purchased with your roles from the sidekick/energy that you will be rolling for on each of your turns. Once you add these dice to your dice/deck, they are permanently there. Each player is also given 8 sidekick/energy cards at the beginning of the game, and your rolls will determine if you can buy community/basic action dice or character dice from your team.

      Without going into too much more detail about the game, because the instruction booklet does a pretty good job, I think AvX has real potential to be the next game we see in tournament play. I have already heard rumors of a DC and a Yu-Gi-Oh! version, set to be released later this year. I cannot confirm these, but I think that each expansion that comes out could be interwoven with one another, much like Heroclix. My final judgment of this game is that it’s very solid. With the right group of players, you may even be able to find a way to play a multiplayer version with some tweaking to the rules. Most games tend to be no longer than 15 minutes, but that depends on how many characters each player wants to use on their team. The art is fantastic, and owning just one of each of the cards to play with, allows for easy trading. If you get the chance to pick this game up, I highly recommend doing so.

"Reviews Reviews Reviews"

     Here it is, the 50th post to my blog. I wish some of my previous posts could have been longer, but alas, they are posts none the less. What I can bring you today is this link right here...

The Game Haven

     So, a local gaming shop/ comic shop called "The Game Haven," that's right around the corner from me, just recently had their website redone; and in an attempt to bring more traffic to the site, they asked me and a few other guys to write reviews for comics that might inspire people to swing by the shop for a good time (get your minds out of the gutter, it's not that kind of "Good Time.") So, I agreed to write a few reviews while they get some of the other features of the site up and running, and eventually people will be able to purchase Magic: The Gathering trading cards from their site. I think this venture could turn out to be a really big deal. I am pleased to inform you that I already have a couple of comic reviews up for your viewing pleasure. Mind you, that so far I have reviewed some fairly main stream comic titles thus far, but I may venture into some older trades that I feel are note worthy in the future.

     I hope all of my readers take 2 minutes out of there day to head to "The Game Haven" website and check out the reviews and let me, and my fellow reviewers, know how we are doing. And, as always, if you know of a book you feel should be reviewed, just send me a message. Until next time.

Radio Interview at WSU

Here is a link to the interview my team and I did at the local radio station at Wright State University. Compliments of my friend, Alexander Kinkade. Enjoy.

http://www.mixcloud.com/ak1bigal/comic-book-league-1-first-public-appearance/

The things we leave behind...

     I know its been a while since I made a post and I wish I had a better excuse than school and work, but honestly, if someone wants to do something, they will find the time to do it. With that said, things have been going very well for me recently. Last August I got a new job working in a call center, and one of the major benefits to it, other than not having to look a customer in the eye when you tell them their package isn't going to make it in time for Christmas, is the rewarding social skills. Yes, believe it or not, when you put all the visual insecurities of human interaction to the side, most people tend to come out of their shells and talk with you as if they have known you their whole life; of course they may be sweet talking you because, working in a call center, we have all the power on our side (of course we never abuse that...).
     So, why am I telling you about my job? Well, I can honestly say that this last 5 months I have been really blessed. My finances are growing, my relationship has just his the 2 year dating mark with my girlfriend, Mandi, and the Comic Book League organization I represent at Wright State University is entering its second second semester. For those that know me, they know that comic books and writing have been a passion in my life for quite some time now. My hope is to turn Angelicomics into my own publishing company, but until that day, I make due with what I can with exterior resources to fuel my projects. For anyone who is interested in making a splash in any career, the first thing they need to understand is that a big part of success is all about who you know.

 (Cross stitch courtesy of Mandilyn Horton)

     A year ago, (well, a year come February) I created Angelicomics as a way to put myself out there and get noticed. Since that time I have had over 5 thousand views on my blog. To most, this may seem small, but it's a start. After Gem City Comic Con 2013, I got together with Jesse Noble, the owner of the convention, and we put together a plan to start a student organization on campus that would house students who took an interest in comic books. The product was the Comic Book League.
      I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to President and facilitate for our meetings. It would take time, money (out of pocket) and the will to continue to do it, even if there were only one or two people who showed up. To my surprise, we have had a fairly consistent group of people coming to each of our meetings. Some nights were better than others, but there has been so much I have learned from this group over the past 6 months about being a leader. Being a leader to me, means being able to make tough decisions and the biggest sacrifice for the benefit of the group. Not to toot my own horn, but even when I didn't feel like going, I knew I had to. This was a commitment I made, not only to myself, but to those willing to show up each week. At times it was frustrating, because I knew that not everyone was there to learn about comics, but they were there for the community we brought to the campus; and I can appreciate that.

 (Comic Book League's final meeting of first semester)

    One of the biggest struggles has been trying to find books to give out for people to read, and in hopes that they would be inspired to break away from the simple Marvel/DC loop of comics. Each week would consist of me purchasing a few comics and usually throwing in a half priced gift card to get these students motivated to go places and read things. Of course, I saw the error in the random giveaway when I realized that people were getting prizes they would never use or read. I think its safe to say that everyone has their own taste in literature, and if I gave a Batman comic to a Bronie (My Little Pony enthusiasts), they were never going to read it. One student has about 15 dollars in Half Priced Books gift cards but can't even make it to the store.
     In order to solve this problem, I implemented an auction. By doing things each week, such as, going to a comic shop, giving a review of a comic they read or even donated money for prizes, I would award auction points for them to bid on prizes. What this allowed was a way for people who actually wanted prizes to bid on them, and it also helps relieve some of the expenses for those prizes. So far this new addition has been fun and refreshing.
     Being the President requires a lot of responsibility and sometimes there is a lot of regret for mistakes if something goes wrong. Thankfully nothing bad has really happened, other than the night we were going to talk about conventions and cosplay, (big mistake on my part). But, since I started this organization, so many good things have happened for me, and I feel will continue to help me in my pursuit of a career in the comic book industry.
     Last semester I was asked to open a panel discussion, of which Mark Waid was in attendance, on who the X-Men were. I've made new connections with the owners of both Gem City Comic Con and Champion City Comic Con, the creators of Twilight Star Studios and Vantage Inhouse Productions. Knowing that I will be graduating in the Fall I have had to start looking at what kind of organization, or legacy if you will, that I would leave behind in the Comic Book League. We have grown so much together as friends and we now have a committee of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These are people who I chose that I felt would best represent us as we continue past the second semester. One of the most important things as a leader is to embrace humility, to know when your time has come to pass the torch and hope that some part of yourself will remain as a memory; perhaps the same can be said about life and death.
     Again, I apologize for the long drawn out description of the past few months. On to new news, I am excited to announce that I am currently working on the first script of "Requiem" for it's comic adaptation. I am only about 6 pages in out of a possible 22 page book. I am hoping to have this done by April in time for Gem City Comic Con, to see if there are any interested artists who might want to pick it up. If all goes as planned, possibly by Champion City Comic Con, I may have a first issue for sale. Hopes are high but my schedule is still very busy with school and work. Be sure to look for me at this years Gem City Comic Con, I will be hosting a panel, what topic has still yet to be seen, but I assure you it will be fun, educational and fantastic.

Till next time...

"Checkmark"

     Hello everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! Since most of you will have the day off tomorrow and may or may not be watching the football game with a plate of turkey resting comfortably on your chest, I thought it might be nice to post a new short story I recently finished. I have been experimenting with coming up with new characters to introduce to the "Requiem" universe, and in my opinion, a hero is only as good as his villain roster. So, today I introduce the world to Checkmark, a self righteous killer who tattoos his victims with a list, and then proceeds to check those items off the list with his blades. I assure you, no turkey's were harmed in the making of this story. However, I do have a disclaimer that this story, that although an origin for Checkmark, it does get gruesome at times. Writing this story was an experiment for me because I don't normally write in 2nd person POV and I don't know of many stories that take everything away from the reader and force them to sit in place of the victim. I have had some really good feedback about this story, and some really bad feedback just the same; and I hope that since this piece is still in the revision stages that you guys will give me some feedback. Thanks and have a fantastic Turkey Day.

"Checkmark"

by Christopher A. Kouse

            You wake up blindfolded. Your mouth held closed. After a moment passes you come to the conclusion that your bonds are made entirely out of duct tape; you would know that rubbery taste anywhere even if it were coated with sugar; that pungent stench still finds a way to seep through your nostrils. Your wrists, your ankles, all held firm to the chair. The texture of the bonds leads you to believe they are from the same material wrapped around your mouth. A slight pain begins to tingle through the amnesia in your arms and legs. Even the front of your neck has a slight tickling sensation that sets you off into borderline madness. The Who’s, What’s, and Where am I’s are the only thing you have left to call your own-- other than to listen for the approaching footsteps from beyond the barrier of shrouded sight.

            “If you had to, could you recognize yourself?”

The blindfold is rushed off of your head with a disregard for comfort. The light billows down from a single lamp that’s light makes up your world. You notice that beyond what the light touches there is nothing; only darkness. The hand of the mysterious speaker reaches out from within the darkness with a gloved, open palm. Within his hand rests a porcelain mask with the same features of your face. You immediately recognize this mask as one you created a long time ago, somewhere, in another time and place. How did he get his hands on that?

“So, I see you do recognize yourself. Hard not to, it’s almost an exact likeness. It’s well made. The work of someone with skilled hands no doubt. However, there is one flaw,” the speaker turns the mask over to reveal it’s hollowed out self. “It’s empty.”

With an effortless and precise twist the hand crushes the mask, allowing the shards, now covered in blood, to fall to the ground. One by one the tiny orchestra of bouncing porcelain fragments echoes off of the floor; and in hearing them your world grows by momentously into the darkness, but only to be twisted with the maniacal laughter of the figure looming just beyond the shroud.

“Oh, don’t look so sad. You can always make another one, but still- perfection is long far off.”

Your eyes wander away from the hand and look towards the source of the voice; and as the hand retreats beyond the beam of light and back into the realm of dark, a face emerges to meet yours. It’s the eyes that first grab your attention; black, nocturnal, void of emotion-- except that of maybe pleasure. The face is covered by a thin material; silk perhaps, and although you have no idea of who is behind this mask, you know exactly who it is, and your hope of getting out of this alive dissolves within the cold recesses of his eyes.

“I can hear those cogs turning as loud as church bells in that little head of yours- at least you’re using it for something other than a…”

You try to give a rebuttal but the words are swallowed by the gag.

 “What’s that?” the figure leans in closer with one ear as if sarcastically trying to listening. He then sharply pulls away. Although you can’t see it clearly, you can make out the line of his smiling lips through the mask.

“No, you don’t get to speak. You’ve been doing that for years. Your logic has made me sick and now I have the stage—or at least…”

He reaches down to your legs which bring attention to the two on your arms and two on your legs. You can’t see it, but you assume there is a third on your neck where the pain sensations have been coming from. The figure grabs and quickly rips the bandages that were wrapped around your legs off. The sharp ripping sensation exposes the hidden flesh to the pungent air.

The sharp sudden pain of the adhesive is mild in comparison to what you expect is to come. You know this creature and the torments he is capable of. In your thoughts, one word becomes clear to describe this vile person, the only word- Checkmark. You look down; see the freshly completed work of a master. On your left leg you make out the word Death, and on your right leg it reads the word Experience. Above each word rests the outline of a box looking to be filled with regret. Immediately, Checkmark lowers his head to your thigh where he can catch your gaze.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" His head cradles the leg marked Death and kisses the box through his thin veil with a promiscuous embrace. He rises from your leg and adjusts his gloves to regain the tight feel in the fingertips. As he turns from you he walks back into the darkness from whence he came.

"Your eyes give you away, you do realize that don't you?" You hear a shuffling of metal sliding along metal in the darkness. Your heartbeat becomes quicker as the footsteps begin to pace forward in your direction again. God! Somebody help me.

"God cannot help you now. This is for your own good and you fear your own death to a fault. Always wondering when your time will come; could it be today, could it could be tomorrow- but now I will release you from your burden."

You are blinded for only a moment by the reflection of the light as it bounces off the sword. You wince twice, the first time to protect your eyes from the light, the second, to mask your scream as it is stifled through your gag. You open your eyes wide to the sound of metal piercing flesh. Your eyes wide and your heart beating outside of your chest as you feel the cold steel begin to cool off the meaty interior of your leg.

"You fear me...although I would too if I were in your position, but you know what I am capable of; you know who I am and what tonight is all about." Checkmark slowly twists the blade at an angle and drags it through your flesh. His skill is perfect and his strength inhuman.

The pain is only bearable because of your restraints; if not for them you would be pouncing and kicking and screaming and, Oh God make it stop! With a tightened grip around the hilt of the blade, Checkmark removes it oh so delicately from your flesh. You jerk in your bonds trying to get free, but they are unforgiving, much like your captor. It takes only a moment for the stinging pain to subside and as you begin to feel the warm red liquid ooze from your wound, it brings a sense of understanding and calm washes over you in waves. It’s impossible to make the distinction between ecstasy and endorphins. You examine the artist’s handiwork for the first time and it is painfully beautiful. No jagged edges, no flesh missing, just a clean cut in a perfect V like fashion with one line longer than the other. You tell yourself the worst is over...isn’t it?

***

An hour passes; maybe more. Time begins to have no meaning when you lose control. The slow burn in your left leg where the cut was made just a while ago has become numb from the loss of blood. Your vision, the only thing that you can control, begins to deceive you. Left alone with your thoughts, your vivid imagination about what Checkmark is planning when he comes back sends chills down your spine. Perhaps he never left. Between the loss of blood and the constant state of shock you have been in, at one point in time during the last hour you could have sworn that you saw his face staring back at you from the darkness. That was the difference between your world and his, the dark is always more readily, and easily accessible; he resided within the dark, and it’s always easy to see those in the light when looking from the shadows.

“…(whistling your favorite tune)…”

You hear the slow tapping of shoes touching the floor; the sound moving towards you. It seems so far away. How big is this room? Next comes the sound of a slow drag of steel gliding along concrete. Your breathing begins to increase. The memory of the pain in your leg begins to return. You know he is coming back and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You look down at the tattoo marked Experience on your right leg and wonder what gives him the right to judge. How does he know? The skin under the bandage on your chest begins to itch again, sure to be the last to be revealed in this sick and twisted game. What could I have done to deserve this? You are sure that anyone in your position would be asking the same question, but instead of an answer, you know that no one believes that they deserve this kind of punishment, when in fact, maybe… just maybe they do. Do I?

“Sorry about the hold up.” Checkmark emerges from the darkness before you. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting for long. I know you hate me and believe me I do know; but you can’t really blame me for showing you the flaws in yourself.”

            Checkmark begins to circle you counterclockwise, still dragging the tip of his sword along the floor. “Tonight is about a purging of sins,” he comes to a halt behind you. “-and after tonight you will thank me.” You see the blade come from above your head slowly and rest its tip in the middle of the square tattoo on your right leg. As the tip presses ever so lightly on your skin you see a tiny teardrop of crimson roll down the side of your leg. You know the judgment is coming, and you hold your breath with quick fleeting hope.

            “You lack experience.” Checkmark begins to tease your skin by turning the blade as if trying to make up his mind. “What have you done with your life? You have nothing to show for the way it has been lived so far.” You feel pressure being applied to the blade and your senses run wild with the loss of control. “You have become content with your life and that cannot be tolerated.” The blade is surgical this time. Slowly piercing and twisting. Your eyes roll back in your head as you let out a moan of agony from behind the gag. The muscles tighten as you try to pull yourself off of the blade as it is masterfully turned to make the intersecting point of the checkmark into your flesh.

            The blade is slowly pulled from you and you wish for the numbing sensation that you have in your other leg to set in quickly. Checkmark rotates your chair to face him and he kneels so that his eyes meet yours. “You are being such a good sport about this. I know you would just love to get your hands on me, but really—what would do? Soon you will see what a great friend you have in me.” You notice a smile form behind his mask again. A different word comes to your mind other than friend to describe him, and you convey that message through the look in your eyes. “I can see you need some time to yourself, but first let me give you something to dwell on.”

            Checkmark grabs a hold of both bandages on your arms and with little effort he rips them from your body. The pain this time pales in comparison to that which courses through your legs. Checkmark drops the bandages and slowly walks backwards into the darkness, his right hand up giving a tiny wave of goodbye. You look down unsurprised to see two new tattoos; one on your left arm, and the other on your right. Your heart drops seeing the words Ambition and Responsibility beautifully designed with two empty square boxes just waiting to be filled. Although you fear what comes next, the location of the last bandage is still what scares you the most.

***

The coolness and the drowning sensation of a glass of water being poured onto your head wake you from the safety of a dream. Waking from a fantasy to a nightmare is the only comparison you make in this situation. The lack of blood running through your legs has left them limp and motionless. You realize that even if you were to manage to get out of this situation, there are no guarantees you would be able to walk again. Your eyes are blurry from the blood loss and the figure of Checkmark before you is a skewed one. What now? The thought runs through your head, what more could he do to you? But, you know the answers to all of your questions. You even know why you are here. Some part of you is able to make sense of all of this, and yet even though futile, you still resist him to the last drop of your essence.

            “Still with us I see.” The image of Checkmark tears through your dilated eyes like removing a pair of prescription glasses.

            “Although, I don’t think you have much left in you so, I tell you what I am going to do. As much as I have enjoyed your company, the night is so very young and I have other places to be, more art to make and other lives to save. So, let’s speed this up.” Checkmark reaches behind him into the dark. You hear the grinding of steel on concrete first, and make out the frame of a chair being pulled towards you. The chair spins effortless on one leg in Checkmark’s hands; and even before the chair becomes firmly planted, he falls upon its seat, legs spread as his arms rest upon the top of the high back chair facing you. Your eyes rise to meet his, and his head turns to meet yours. You let your eyes do the speaking for you.

            “Ambition and responsibility,” Checkmark gives a grunt to acknowledge the heft of those words. “I want you to understand that it is you that give these words meaning. One person’s flaws are never the same as another’s. And if you were in my position you would be doing the same for others who are slaves to themselves. The truth is that people hold themselves in contempt-“He reaches behind his head with both arms and frees two blades from their sheaths. “- and I set forth to free them of this self-loathing nature.”

            “Responsibility,” Checkmark aims the tip of one of his swords at the square box on your upper left arm. “You refuse to take it. All your life you have failed to live up to your own expectations. Consistently, you have blamed others for your faults and have refused to take the responsibility of your actions.” He produces the second blade in his left hand and points it towards your left arm marked Ambition. “Ambition- you have none. What a worthless corpse your life has become; an empty shell of regret that you have allowed to consume your life. What happened to the hopes you had as a child- what things you could have seen, the places you could have went and the person you could have become. Let me show you.”

            You try pleading a case with Checkmark with muffled sounds, but he would not hear it. Checkmark rises to his feet and with one firm kick, he sends the chair he was sitting on flying back into the dark. Your attention is so focused on the mad man that you almost fail to notice that there was no loud crash from the chair hitting the floor. With a single thrust from both of his hands, Checkmark sends the blade perfectly into each of your arms with such a strong force that your chair tips over and your head collides with the ground causing you to blackout.

***

            Some time passes until you regain consciousness and it dawns on you that you are sitting upright again and alone. By the time your eyes readjust, the nerve endings in your arms finally send the signals of pain into your brain. Looking at both arms you notice a perfect checkmark shaped sign engraved into each tattoo box. Blood is still seeping from the wounds, but the initial shock of metal penetrating flesh subsided when your head slammed into the ground. The ache in the back of your head causes you to stretch your neck muscles. You are unsure of which was worse, feeling the slow cuts or dealing with a possible spinal injury.

            You notice that the itching just below your neck is gone and you feel a cool breeze brush past the freshly exposed area. Reality begins to sink in that the end is coming, and you struggle to see the tattoo. You know it’s there, it has to be. Why would he do anything different this late in the game? Anxiously you struggle to twist your head to see, but your neck isn’t forgiving. It’s a trick; he wants me to go mad. You calm yourself to make it appear that you aren’t falling into madness. He has to be watching.

            Time seems to slow down and you begin to examine your predicament and all that has happened to you tonight. You notice the pool of crimson at your feet; it has almost entirely blanketed every part of the floor that the light touches. Your world is drowning in blood. I deserve this. You struggle to find some lie in the truth that Checkmark has been preaching tonight, but fail. You are afraid of death, you do refuse to take responsibility, you do lack experience and you don’t have any ambition. What is the final piece of the puzzle!

            You see a light twinkle within the darkness. The light appears to be coming closer and as soon as it reaches the threshold of blood pooled out on the floor, you make the light out to actually be a mirror. You look into the mirror and your heart drops as you read the final tattoo inked into your neck; Martyr, with a square box above it. You feel a vibration run along the back of your chair and realize that your bonds holding your hands have been severed. Within seconds you feel the same sensations cut through the tape on your legs, and they fall free away from the stiff chair. You struggle to reach up to remove your gag, but your head tilts down to meet your hand half way; and although hard to move, you remove the remainder of the tape on your wrists and wait for Checkmark to make himself visible one final time.

***

            His voice pierces from the darkness. “It seems we have a mutual understanding.” You hear him giggle slightly in a disoriented manor. Checkmark walks into the light and you notice the dark outfit he wears is now soaked in his own blood and torn in areas. Cuts are in the form of checkmarks and have been made into his flesh in the exact same way they were impressed upon you. The tattoos are the same as well. You watch as he pulls both blades from his back and looks at them for a moment. “I can find no fault in you for this last test. You cannot force someone to become a martyr.” He fluidly rotates one of the blades in his hand and presents it to you. You struggle from your chair and catch yourself a few times from falling. Your hand reaches out and claims the blade for your own.

            Checkmark reaches up with his blood soaked glove and begins to pull back the mask that shrouds his face. You stand there and face him, the real Checkmark. It is as if looking into a mirror. His face is yours, or my face is his. He presents his chest to you and the tattoo marked Martyr.

            “You have a choice. Take my life and end this momentary torment, or ask me to end your personal hell.”

            You consider his words carefully and search yourself for what you really want. The mark on his chest looks so empty, and the itch returns on your own chest—an itch needing scratched. You rotate the blade towards his chest, and Checkmark readies himself for the final blow…

…

…

…

            You turn the blade on yourself and pierce your own chest, squarely center of the empty box marked Martyr.

***

            You wake up lying on your bed. The nightly breeze from the open balcony of your apartment chills the sweat droplets on your body. You reach up and remove the porcelain mask from your face and sit up right. Directly ahead of you across the room, past the dark, lies a mirror staring back. You see the scars of the self-inflicted wounds within the tattoos marked Death, Responsibility, Experience, Ambition, and Martyr. All filled with perfectly carved checkmarks.

            Lying next to you on the bed is your tattoo kit, on the other side your weapons of choice. You pull the satin mask over your head, pack up your things and head out into the night searching for lives to save.

#

C4 2013 and Creating Bridges

 

(Left to Right: Ren McKenzie & Son, Mark Waid, Dustin Carson, Christopher Kouse, Victor Dandridge Jr., Matthew Smith P.H.D.)

    Let's talk C4,... and I am not talking about the explosive, but it's just as dynamite (yes, I know how cheesy that was). This past weekend Wittenberg University hosted the fifth annual Champion City Comic Con. I can honestly say that this convention, by far, has been one of the greatest convention I have ever attended. Not that I haven't attended many conventions, or to put others down, but this was the first time I felt like I was amongst family. Being able to attend a con where you know half of the talent really makes the time fly, and sadly, the convention is only run for one day. Local artists Victor Dandridge Jr., Bill Gladman, Dustin Carson, retailers Pete Bell from "Bell, Book" and Comic, Jessie Noble, Frank Raynor and Mark Waid were all in attendance this year and helped pull off a fantastic show. Let's not forget the host's, "Main Street Comics and Games" who wove this all together; most notably Scott Riley. Costume contests, Fanboy Feud, which I was selected as a participant for, and an auction to raise money for "The Hero Initiative," were just a few of the panels at the event. Awesomely enough, they managed to raise $800.

(Fanboy Feud: The Waid's vs. The Dandridge's)

     As a striving artist in the comic book scene, you will quickly learn that the secret to success is about who you know. Whether its an artist who is willing to illustrate a story you wrote, or a friend who can help promote your work, the comic book convention has always been an open door to making new friends. In the previous years, either at C4 or Gem City Comic Con, I had an opportunity to touch bases with a lot of the local talent, it was only by going to these shows that I was able to take a risk at purchasing some of their work. An even better feeling, is seeing them again the following year to talk with them about their stories; and what artist doesn't like a fan-base. Sharing ideas and encouraging one another is the heart of the local comic book community. I would like say that this is true throughout all of the comic book community but it may be too bold of a statement to make. Over the years, many conventions have switched from being about comic books, to more of a costume contest and a meet and greet. Not that those things are bad, but it's just become too expensive.
     Comic books are an art, and somewhere along the line they have been perverted into becoming cash cows; if it's the movies or the cartoons, I really can't say, because I enjoy those too. What I do know is that being able to hang out with good friends, talking with them about what you have a passion for, and being able to pick up some great literature to hold you over for a while is something I really enjoy. At the "Comic Book League" meetings we have at Wright State University each week, I try to make it my goal, as President, to keep our group up to date on local conventions in town. I don't do this to try and make myself look good, or to make someone else get rich; I do it because I know that with the proper motivation and encouragement, each of our members has a talent that is just waiting to be tapped into. But I digress.

 (Dustin Carson, author of "No Gods"; Christopher Kouse)

(Victor Dandridge Jr.; Vantage Inhouse Productions; Christopher Kouse)

     This past Thursday night, before the con, I was given a great opportunity. Wright State University was hosting an event entitled "X-Men: Overcoming Adversity," and I was asked to give a brief 3-5 minute opening of who the X-Men were. Sounds simple enough right? Ha! In all honesty, I was terrified. Not because my knowledge was flawed, but more so because I am not the best of public speakers. However, I knew I had to do this; this was my foot in the door to promote the "Comic Book League," to make new friends, and top of that, I didn't want to look like an idiot in front of, one of my favorite writers, Mark Waid. I also had two fellow promoters of comics in the classroom on the panel, Christy Blanch and "The Doctor" himself, Matt Smith P.H.D. who probably know more about the X-Men that I ever will. Needless to say, the response I got from everyone about my speech was so encouraging. Before the event I had never met Craig This, the director of the event, but somehow I managed to hit on every topic that he had prepared for the panelists to discuss that night. The pieces fell together and I felt renewed about what I was doing as a writer, and who I wanted to become. I can only hope that once I have more free time to work on my own stories that the people I make as friends now, that are in the comic industry, will be there for me when I decide to make that plunge.

(X-Men: Overcoming Adversity panel)

(The first 17 min of the panel discussion, including my speech)

     One final thought; I am sorry my updates have been far and few between lately. I have recently been swamped with work and school. However, I have been reading some pretty awesome stuff lately and look forward to reviewing it all in the coming months. On a positive note, one of my pieces of writing entitled, Jekyll Hyde Banner Hulk was recently published by my school's literary journal, the Nexus. You can read it on this blog or by going clicking HERE. Should you like to follow my work and support me, the best way is to join my facebook group by clicking the icon below. Also, I am always looking for feedback and questions. Thanks.