Bloggy-blogging

Pheel Good

Magic Meathands Original video #8!

Written and directed by Mary Benedict. Me as one of the spokespersons for a new amazing pharmaceutical product with… some side effects. Also starring Mary, Kathie Bostian, Kevin Callahan, Shane Boroomand, Nikki Turner, and Seth Rotkin as Choking Guy.

I don’t know about you, but I feel better already. In fact, I’m having a hard time remembering a time when I ever felt bad. Wow, this stuff really works! I’m headed to my local pharmacy to get more!

Archives:
Magic Meathands Original video #7: Corey vs. His Nemesis
Magic Meathands Original video #6: Gabby’s Good Luck Minute
Magic Meathands Original video #5: Gotcha
Magic Meathands Original video #4: ManCoaster
Magic Meathands Original video #3: Pants – A Nightmare
Magic Meathands Original video #2: Fun and Games
Magic Meathands Original video #1: Eddie the Enforcer

Subscribe to the Magic Meathands YouTube channel.

Thank you for donating to the National MS Society

Nahleen and I at last year's Walk MS (click above for more pics of us at Walk MS 2010)

Yesterday my wife and I got to experience first hand the benefits of the last several years of our friends, families, and in some cases complete strangers, donating to the National MS Society through our participating in the annual Walk MS events. (Last year, I walked in a dress and heels (right).)

My wife Nahleen was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 8 years ago. MS is a baffling disease. There’s no cure and it manifests itself in everyone differently. She was put on a treatment of Betaseron, which required her to inject herself with a needle every other night. Yes, there are worse things in the world, but it hasn’t been pleasant.

Despite the challenges, we carried on and adapted to our altered lives. We kept working, got married, and continued to pursue our creative dreams, while also juggling doctors, insurance, appointments, tests, treatments, etc. Life continued on until her symptoms spiked dramatically last summer. Her liver kind of went bonkers and she got real sick. It turns out she also has lupus.

Apparently, multiple sclerosis and lupus are both autoimmune diseases, and one following the other isn’t entirely out of the question. (There’s also the possibility of mixed connective tissue disease but that’s not currently the theory we’re working under.)

Nahleen has worked extraordinarily hard since the summer to crawl out of that pit she was in. It is an extremely slow and gradual process. Fortunately she has a vibrant spirit.

A big step was taken yesterday. When her liver started evicting its residents, they took her off of Betaseron since it’s processed through the liver. So she has been without any MS treatment for well past 6 months. Through incredibly fortunate timing, a new MS drug called Gilenya recently became available. It is the first MS oral medication (meaning, it’s a pill). While still very new, it’s incredibly promising: less side effects for most and extremely effective in keeping the body from attacking itself.

Yesterday, Nahleen had her first treatment of Gilenya. There was no pre-medication necessary. No icing the injection site. No mixing of chemicals. No loading a needle into an injector. No stabbing. No fevers and flu-like symptoms afterward. Simply wash a pill down with some water. Emotionally and psychologically, this is a huge relief. The big stress was the 6-hour observation for the first treatment to make sure she wasn’t among the minority that responded poorly. Fortunately it went smoothly. From here on out, it should be a simple matter of taking a pill once a day at around the same time where ever she happens to be at that time. This is a definite improvement.

Of course, it doesn’t mean everything’s all better. There’s still a ways to go to recover from last summer. We’re taking this year off from Walk MS to focus on her recovery. But please consider walking on your own or donating to a friend’s walk. If you or someone you know is walking, please get in touch and I would be happy to feature you or them.

Nahleen and I have a lot of hope for the future. She is being treated for lupus and she now has new and improved treatment for multiple sclerosis. And that didn’t just come out of thin air. The National MS Society provided a lot of resources to get Gilenya to market. They helped with funding, research, and testing. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that if the National MS Society didn’t exist, Gilenya wouldn’t be here now. And the only reason they are as effective as they are is because of those of you have given on our behalf. Over the last 3 years, our team raised about $40,000. It is thanks to your inspiring generosity. Thank you.

Static Shock creator/All-Star Superman screenwriter Dwayne McDuffie dies

Dwayne McDuffie by Glen Murakami & Andrew Pepoy (click for full bio)

The sad and unexpected death of Dwayne McDuffie was announced yesterday by Comic Book Resources. He passed away due to complications from a surgical procedure performed Monday evening.

Yesterday was also the day of the DVD release of All-Star Superman, an animated feature adaptation of the critically acclaimed comic book series of the same name by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. McDuffie was the direct-to-DVD movie’s screenwriter. He had previously written for the animated TV series “Justice League Unlimited”, and served as both producer and writer on Cartoon Network’s successful Ben 10 animated franchise.

In the comics world, he will be remembered for co-founding Milestone Media, which led to the Milestone imprint at DC Comics in the 1990s. His Milestone creation Static was later adapted into an animated series, “Static Shock”, on which McDuffie served as story editor and writer for several episodes. DC Comics has been reprinting a number of classic Milestone comics recently, including graphic novel collections of Hardware, Icon, and of course Static Shock. Earlier in McDuffie’s career he worked for Marvel Comics, where he co-created the comedy series Damage Control and successfully revamped Deathlok (both of which should’ve been made into movies by now).

McDuffie lived and worked in Los Angeles. He was a guest speaker at CSUN’s Superheroes Seminar with Charles Hatfield last Fall (read Hatfield’s touching eulogy), and would make in-store appearances at local comic book stores to sign books and DVDs. He had appeared at the LA screening of All-Star Superman last week at The Paley Center, and was scheduled to appear at tonight’s ReggiesWorld.com launch party at Golden Apple in West Hollywood. The final hours of that Golden Apple event have been converted to a Tribute to Dwayne McDuffie starting at 8 PM tonight. Fans and professionals alike are invited to attend.

As remembrances started pouring in, two stories caught my attention on Twitter. I think they illustrate the kind of humor and intelligence at his disposal. In my mind they underscore his importance as a respected professional who fought from within for diversity and a stronger industry. (more…)

Banksy vs. Los Angeles

Charlie Burn (click for Banksy's LA gallery)

There’s some cool art popping up around LA, but you better enjoy it before it’s gone.

Mysterious graffiti artist Banksy has been hitting Hollywood and the surrounding areas over the last week or so. Charlie Brown as an arsonist (right) and an intoxicated Mickey & Minnie Mouse getting gropey on a huge billboard are just a few of the subversive pieces of work he’s been contributing to Los Angeles. Charles Schulz and Walt Disney probably wouldn’t approve of Banksy’s take but I think they’re great.

It’s not his first time playing with iconic hand drawn characters. The Simpsons hired Banksy to do the opening credits for last October’s episode, “MoneyBART”. It’s probably the darkest comedy the show has ever done. According to executive producer Al Jean’s interview with the New York Times, he claims they never met Banksy. They were just delivered storyboards through an agent.

The British artist is notoriously secretive about his true identity and has requested being able to attend this weekend’s Academy Awards show with a monkey mask. His short film Exit Through the Gift Shop was nominated for Best Documentary Feature and is considered the front runner in the category. Unfortunately his request was denied because the Academy is worried about “copycat gatecrashers”, according to /Film. To add insult to injury, his LA works are slowly being removed or defaced. Now that’s just rude.

Don’t listen to the haters, Banksy! We love you!

Celebrate Presidents Day – Read a Comic

Happy Presidents Day! It’s that time of year again when the United States celebrates that we have a President in our form of government! Pretty exciting stuff!

Actually, there are some pretty crazy stories from the life and times of US Presidents past. And sometimes their deaths can make for some compelling reading too. Sure, it’s morbid but it can also be pretty fascinating. Comics writer/artist Rick Geary has taken a look at two presidential assassinations with the same precision and accessibility of all of his work. His series of graphic novels A Treasury of Victorian Murder (and the newer series A Treasury of XXth Century Murder) make for great reads, and pre-dates a lot of the current non-fiction graphic novels coming out nowadays.

The Murder of Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary

In The Murder of Abraham Lincoln, Geary takes a look at the 1865 murder of the 16th US President and the days that followed. Some of the recently resurrected theories about John Wilkes Booth surviving and living to old age while a body double was killed in his place at Garrett Farm aren’t included but it nevertheless is packed with information glazed over in high school history class while maintaining a great narrative. Geary also uses the power of comics well, weaving in a cutaway of the Presidential Box at the Ford’s Theatre as Booth makes his fatal move, maps and a timeline of Booth’s escape route, and a map showing the route taken by the Lincoln funeral train.

Geary also took a look at the second US President to be killed in The Fatal Bullet: The Assassination of President James A. Garfield.

See NBM Publishing for a complete list of Geary’s true crime graphic novels currently in-print.

Comics Events in LA: Week of 2/20/11

If you’re interested in finding out more about comic books and graphic novels, a great way to discover new stories is to check out a local comics event. There’s a vibrant comics community here in Los Angeles, where you can meet artists, writers, publishers, and other readers who are ready and willing to turn you on to some amazing material.

Here are some local Los Angeles events coming up that celebrate the sequential art form.

This week:

Monday, February 21 – Sunday, February 27: Henry & Glenn Gang Bang art show featuring Henry & Glenn Forever by The Igloo Tornado (Tom Neely, Gin Stevens, Scot Nobles and Levon Jihanian) and artwork by Eric Yahnker, Coop, The Clayton Brothers, Ed Luce, Johnny Ryan, Kaz and more, at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90027. Tickets: $0.

Tuesday, February 22, 7 PM – 9 PM: Writer/actor Felicia Day will be joined by some of her cast mates of The Guild, actors Vincent Caso (Bladezz), Amy Okuda (Tinkerballa), and Robin Thorsen (Clara), to sign copies of their graphic novel and season four DVD at Barnes & Noble: The Grove at Farmer’s Market, 189 The Grove Drive, Suite K 30, Los Angeles 90036. Tickets: Wristband with purchase of graphic novel or DVD starting at 9 AM that morning.

Wednesday, February 23: NEW COMICS DAY! Find your local comics specialty shop.

Wednesday, February 23, 6 PM – 9 PM: ReggiesWorld.com launch party and signing with writer/director Reginald Hudlin (Black Panther) and special guests writer Dwayne McDuffie (JLA, Static), artist Denys Cowan (Black Panther, The Question), writers Mike Benson and Adam Glass (Luke Cage Noir), musician/comics creator Ziggy Marley (Marijuana Man), actors/comics creators Eriq La Salle (25 to Life) and Rashida Jones (Frenemy of the State), and sci-fi authors Tananarive Due (My Soul to Keep) and Steven Barnes (Lion’s Blood) at Golden Apple, 7018 Melrose Avel, Los Angeles 90038. Tickets: $0.

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What’s with all the comic book talk? I thought this was an actor’s website.

Corey Blake as seen by Scott Shaw!

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been blogging more and more over the last few months. And a lot of it is dealing with comic books. Or graphic novels, if you prefer. Or sequential art, if you want to be hoity-toity.

I love performing, so you’ll always see me talking up new shows and videos and whatever else I’m in. (Three new Magic Meathands sketch comedy videos should start posting in a week or so, and I’ll be in all of them!) But there’s more to me than that. The world of comics also endlessly fascinates me, and it turns out I like talking about it to whoever will listen. Fortunately, the internet and blogs were invented so that I can write ad nauseum about my topic of choice.

I love the idea of introducing comics to new people, so I hope to be able to do more of that. (Unfortunately time limitations prevent me from doing the New Comics for New Readers weekly list I used to do. I’m hoping to find a replacement.) I’m also interested in the history of comics, how that has given us our present, and where comics are going. And finally, I like taking a closer look at the LA comics scene in particular, as I think that’s something that’s under-represented online.

(I can’t blog about everything going on in the world of comics. So if you want to read more about what you see here, check out one of the links in the right-hand column under Comics News, Etc. That’s a list of my a favorite sites focused on comic books and the culture around them.)

So you will probably continue to see me comment on comics news or spotlight certain works or aspects of the comics industry interspersed between self-promotion of my own work as a comedic performer and actor.

Behind the scenes, I’m looking into a way of combining these two aspects of my life – a way to educate, discuss and spread the word about comics in a live presentation. It’s an exciting process to discover just what this new thing is going to be. I hope you’ll join in the discussion and discovery. Please feel free to post comments here on the blog, talk with me on Facebook and Twitter, or ask me a question on Formspring. It’s great to hear from you.

Comics can still be controversial – hot button issues rile up readers

This week, two comics are making national news due to some readers being offended by the comics’ content.

The Washington Post blog Comic Riffs by Michael Cavna takes a look at reactions from an op-ed article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin to a week’s worth of the comic strip Mother Goose & Grimm by Mike Peters. The comic satirized the hypothetical Chernobyl Amusement Park with a series of radiation jokes. The historic meltdown of the Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 resulted in the destruction of a community and its local environment, and thousands either dying or being diagnosed with life-altering illnesses in the fallout.

Meanwhile, MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell is shocked and dismayed at the perceived racism of a recent installment of the political comic strip Obama Nation by James Hudnall and Batton Lash. First Lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative Let’s Move is the target. O’Donnell takes issue with how Lash portrayed the First Family.

My first thought is that these are reminders that comic strips, comic books, graphic novels – the sequential art form that these all use – can still stir a passionate response in people. Not that it’s even debatable, but the medium is still as vital as ever. So that’s great news.

Specifically though, do these comics go too far?

Your miles will vary. We all have varying levels of sensitivity to different topics. And if someone is genuinely upset or offended by something, that shouldn’t be dismissed. Having said that, artistic expression is still a freedom and a right we enjoy, as long as another’s freedoms, rights or safety aren’t limited as a result.

I’ll look at these one at a time after the clickie-jump: (more…)

Learn to read comics with fan-made Power Records videos

As I’ve mentioned in the past, not everyone takes to the language of sequential art instantly. Some need to ease into it. One possible solution probably isn’t really a solution at all, but it makes for a unique way to read some early comic books.

In the 1970s, Power Records released a series of vinyl 45’s of a fully produced performance of comic book stories, complete with voice actors, sound effects and music. A couple of years ago, a crafty YouTube user, noielmucus, put these recordings to an edited presentation of each issue included with each record so that the dialogue and captions being spoken appear on screen. A great way for kids to read along. The pacing is kind of slow for today’s audiences and some voices are just plain weird (like the weird sped up effect on Mr. Fantastic’s voice when he uses his powers) but others are actually quite good. It definitely makes for a fun curiosity.

The Marvel Comics records gave a performance of three classic issues, so it’s a unique way to experience these stories of the origin of the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk, and one of the earliest adventures of Spider-Man. But the DC Comics ones appear to be original stories made just for these records (although I can’t identify the creators). They feature Superman against the inter-dimensional imp Mxyptlk, the Joker making his own utility belt to fight Batman and Robin, and more complete silliness.

Apparently this collection of 10 are just the tip of the iceberg. Over 90 LP records and 45-rpm singles were created. A modern version of these for young readers might be worth looking into by some enterprising company. (If you need any voice-actors, let me know.)

Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (1963) parts 1-5

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Crime Does Not Pay (except when it does)

The comics that changed history. Brilliant cover by Charles Biro. (Click image for more Dark Horse summer releases.)

Dark Horse Comics is releasing a “best of” compilation of the seminal 1940s crime anthology series Crime Does Not Pay this July, according to information the publisher released to Comic Book Resources (and other comics news sites).

Crime Does Not Pay was a huge hit in its day, as spearheaded by editors and writers Charles Biro and Bob Wood. As the first “true crime” comic book, it spawned countless derivatives and significantly altered the course of comics. It was the first non-superhero genre to really take hold in America, and the first to expand readership to a somewhat older demographic. Today people are ordering hookers and heroin if their comic sells over 100,000 copies, so it’s amazing to think that Crime Does Not Pay at one point had sales in excess of 1 million. The publisher theorized that due to friends lending out copies, they had a readership of over 5 million people.

Parents and other concerned citizens didn’t approve of the graphic violence and often glorified criminals, and the entire crime genre of comics, along with the growing horror genre, became a target of political leaders. By the mid-’50s, the United States Senate formed a sub-committee to investigate the relationship between comic book and juvenile delinquency. The entire industry was publicly embarrassed and essentially shamed into self-censorship. Everyone reigned in their content at the risk of losing newsstand distribution, far and away the dominant. While there was definitely a need for some kind of content warning, what instead resulted was that an entire medium was sterilized and made safe for kids. Needless to say, Crime Does Not Pay and the genre it had created lost what made it appealing to readers and was canceled within months.

This story has been told before and will be told again, but the actual stories of the Crime Does Not Pay comics have rarely if ever been reprinted in modern times. I’m very excited to be able to get this as an affordable soft cover graphic novel. Usually these kinds of things are released in massive hard cover tomes that tend to be too expensive for the mildly curious and too unwieldy for reading without a lectern. There will also be great bonus content, like an illustrated essay by comics historian Denis Kitchen detailing how Crime Does Not Pay co-editor Bob Wood’s later life could’ve made for a story in his own comic.

Click through for the full product description: (more…)