Revisiting Revisiting Resolutions

You all know of New Years Resolutions work.  Around the first of the year everyone makes hollow promises to themselves (and occasionally others) to become better people.

Resolutions typically include any of the following; losing weight, eating better, quitting smoking, giving up "hard" drugs, wearing condoms when shagging prostitutes and divesting from the trafficking of humans

Roughly a year ago I offered up my resolutions.  Six months ago I revisited them.  Now that the procrastinations done, let's see how things shook out.

(But since no one wants to end the year on a down note, I've taken the liberty of revising some of my more lofty resolutions resolutions to more reasonable deeds.)

Write More - I did write more. There was basically a post every other day in 2011.  That's quite the improvement over 2010.  I'm totally willing to call this one a success.

Get a TV - Yup, I got this one covered.  I've got a tv.  Now I can watch shows like Community and 30 Rock on something that's not my laptop.

Impregnate a Chick Try Out Netflix - Jay1 had been trying to get me to give Netflix a shot for awhile, but I never felt the urge.  And then Netflix began it's marketing deluge where they advertised a one month free trial.  So I did that.

Twice.

Hellblazer: Pandemonium

Little known fact; in our archive is a half-written Point/Counterpoint about the movie Constantine.  At the time it was written I believed Constantine to be the worst movie adaptation of a comic book.

Of course in 2011 that distinction now belongs to Green Lantern.  
 I'm not a huge Hellblazer fanboy, but I do dig the exploits of John Constantine.  Hellblazer: Pandemonium got me curious.   While I'm not really a fan of the supernatural, I do like Jock's art.  Plus I'd heard Jamie Delano was quite a scribe.

But sometimes a graphic novel can be a chore. I've read more than a few of them that bored me to tears.  And given that I was pretty much unaware of Jamie Delano's work before this, I'll admit to being a pinch worried.

The Rubicon Conspiracy

I like watching TV.  Sometimes it's for entertainment like when I watch Fringe or Parks and Recreation.  Sometimes it transcends entertainment and becomes inspiration like Mad Men and Breaking Bad.

I'm always on the lookout for a good new show.  Given my love for Mad Men and Breaking Bad I was very interested in Rubicon.  It was AMC's third foray into original programming.  Chances were, I was going to enjoy it.

Five Dope Albums I Discovered In 2011

Every year I buy and listen to dozens of albums.  And every year I compile a list of my ten favorite albums of that year.  And every year I fall in love with an album that doesn't make that list because it was released in a previous year.

What can I say; I'm not perfect.  I don't have a chance to buy every album released every year.  Some stuff is going to slip through the cracks.

But this year decided to try to rectify my careless overlooking of such albums by giving them some shine.

X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain

I was a pretty big fan of the original X-Men Noir miniseries.  I dug the whole putting familiar characters in a vastly different setting.  Sure it was pretty much just biting Elseworlds, but the whole "noir" setting made it unique enough.

Given how much I enjoyed the original, the thought of Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero returning with a follow up was very enticing.  Would they be able to recapture the magic that the first mini held or would they buckle under the pressure of expectations?

Monday Missing Munchies - Häagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark

One of the cooler aspects of the holidays is that "seasonal" flavors get released.  I know people who crave a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and I myself am a huge fan of sweet potato pie.

But one of my true delights this time of year is Häagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark.  I love it and it's only available from November to the end of December.  So when it's out not only do a gorge myself, but I tend to stock up as well.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Jimmy Fallon & Michael Buble

Jay1 and I thought long and hard about this episode last week. We debated it back and forth. We couldn’t quite figure out if we were excited that Jimmy Fallon was returning or disappointed he was coming back.

We agree that Fallon can be funny, but he was often most funny when he was breaking in a sketch. And he didn’t really have all that many characters that we couldn’t wait for him to revisit. Still, he was fearless and would go the distance for comedy. Basically; we had no idea what this episode would hold.

Martian Manhunter: American Secrets

Eduardo Barreto, a renowned comic book artist from Uruguay, passed away yesterday.  He was 57.

I was a fan of his art.  He illustrated one of my favorite comics of all time; The Unauthorized Biography of Lex Luthor.  I was recently able to track down Martian Manhunter: American Secrets, a 1992 miniseries he created with Gerard Jones.

My Road Atlas Journey

So, the entire year I've been meaning to stock up on Calexico music.  I'd managed to cop most of their studio albums and EPs throughout the year.  The problem was that Calexico also had a series of "tour albums" self released joints that they sold at live shows.

As December approached it looked like I was going to strike out on my mission to collect Calexico.  And then I found out about Road Atlas.

Rat Catcher

I dig Andy Diggle.  I really enjoyed his Vertigo title (which later became a Hollywood flick) The Losers.  He even had a pretty solid run on Hellblazer.

But sometimes a guy who writes comics can't really hit a home run when it comes to writing a graphic novel.  Which is why I was pretty unsure about Diggle's Vertigo Crime offering Rat Catcher, featuring art by Victor Ibanez.

Monday Munchies - Snyder's of Hanover Dips (York Peppermint & Peanut Butter Varieties)

I am sucker for an impulse buy.  When I get to the checkout at the grocery store  I'm keenly interested in what's new and what's being pushed.  Usually it's nothing that interests me, but occasionally something catches my eye.  It's how I find out about candy bars or new chips.  It's also how I found out that Snyder's of Hanover had a new line of snacks.  

Pretzels and chocolate?  Um, count me in.  I opted for the York Peppermint Pretzel Sandwich and the Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwich.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Katy Perry & Robyn

I didn’t have high hopes for this episode when it was announced. Katy Perry isn’t known for much around Fish and Spaghetti, but certainly not for her acting or comedic talents.

More often when not when a musician hosts they play straight man to recurring, which makes for a dismal episode of Saturday Night Life. Will that hold true this week?

Revisiting "Five Musical Acts I'm Trying to Get Up On in '11"

So, like eight months ago I posted about the five musical acts I was going to do my best to get up on in 2011.  I've got a ton of bands and artists that I'm trying to get into.

Some come from recommendations from friends.  Some are bands that I've either seen on tv or as opening acts.  And some I've just read about on wikipedia.

Anyway, my musical acts of 2011 were Calexico, Madlib, Vince Guaraldi Trio, Anathallo and A Fine Frenzy.  Did I succeed?

Skip Serpico's Concert Adventures - Jessica Lea Mayfield & Ryan Adams @ Lyric Opera House 12/4/11

One of the perks of going to concerts on a semi regular basis is that you end up on variety of venue mailing lists.  Sure, some of the mail is spam that you've got no use for, but occasionally it's a gem of an email.

That was the case when a couple months back I got an email from 9:30 Club informing me that Ryan Adams was going to be at the Lyric and giving me the opportunity to get my ticket in pre-sell event.

I jumped at the chance and I'm glad I did because the show sold out.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Steve Buscemi & The Black Keys

I’m trying to figure out what to do on weeks when SNL isn’t new. Currently, I’m taking those weeks off, but I’m trying to come up with a format to keep Sunday Morning Quarterback going during those weeks.

As for this week, I didn’t really know what to expect coming in. On one hand Steve Buscemi is a talent but on the other hand he’s sort of an unknown quantity. But at the very least I knew The Black Keys were going to kill it.

Remembering - Terriers

FX and I go way back.  I remember back when they got into the "original programing" game.  The Shield was certainly a game changer both in terms of what basic cable could show and how a network branded itself.

I've pretty much given every one of FX's hour dramas a shot.  Some I loved (The Shield, Justified) some I loathed (Dirt) and most I just tolerated (Lights Out, Rescue Me.)  But most left me heartbroken because they ended too soon (The Riches, Thief.)

One year ago yesterday Terriers wrapped up it's first and final season.

Fables

One of the cool things about comics is that, generally, you can usually find some old comics that pique your interest.  It's dope when you're digging through a box and you find a comic that you've always wanted to pick up.

That's what happened when found the Detective Comics Annual #1, Green Arrow Annual #1 and The Question Annual #1.  I'd finally found a story that I'd wanted to read since I was a kid.

Trailer Tuesday - Roadie, Shame and Hunger Games!

Welcome back to Trailer Tuesday.  Did you miss us?

I want to say for the record, I'm not a fan of how Apple TV does it's movie trailers now.  It's so difficult to find what you're looking for.  I miss when everything was in alphabetical order.  Now finding trailers has become a chore.

But enough of my griping, let's get into things, shall we?

Monday Munchies - Popcorn, Indiana Dark Fudge Chocolate Chip Kettlecorn

Now that we are in the neither-region that exists between Thanksgiving and Christmas there are a myriad of new products hitting the shelves.  Some are seasonal like Haagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark ice cream.  Others are just trying to capitalize on the impulsive nature of people out shopping.

This week's Monday Munchie is the latter.  It's also one of the most adjective laden snacks I've ever purchased.  It's Dark Fudge Chocolate Chip Kettlecorn from Popcorn, Indiana.

Oh, admit it; you're curious.

No, Seriously; Concert Cursed

Remember Skip Serpico’s Concert Adventures? Remember how I used to go to concerts on a semi regular basis? Well those days appear to be over.

And remember when I told you how I was Concert Cursed? Um, it’s looking like that’s a pretty accurate assessment of the situation.

Allow me to explain.

Remembering - My Innocence

A little warning - the following post has some graphic images.  If you don't want to have the last vestiges of your childhood ripped from you, I highly suggest that you avoid this post.

You don't want to "read more."  It's shocking and it's something that you'll never forget.  In fact I'm typing this at 3:30 in the morning, because I'm still scarred by the image that I saw a couple hours ago.

Ok, you've been warned.  

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Jason Segel & Florence + the Machine

It’s funny, I’m not really aware of Jason Segel’s comedic styling’s. I’ve seen him on Letterman and I saw him in Knocked Up, but I haven’t seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall and I don’t watch How I Met Your Mother. I know nothing about this dude.

This should make for an interesting episode.

Monday Missing Munchies - Duncan Hines Oven Ready Brownies

I love brownies.  Technically blondies are my favorite baked good, but brownies come a close second, mainly because of their abundance.  There's really nothing better than a great brownie.

But being a lazy person, the thought of actually making a batch of brownies is unappealing.  So when I first heard about Duncan Hines Oven Ready Brownies, you can imagine my elation.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Emma Stone & Coldplay

You want to know the last book that I’ve read? It was Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller. If you dig SNL as much as I do, you should totally get your hands on a copy and devour all of the juicy tales about one of late night comedy’s longest lasting traditions.

Seriously, the book is good.

Anyway, I was moderately amped for this episode of SNL. I think Emma Stone’s got talent and she usually delivers. And I really enjoyed Coldplay’s first two albums and half of X&Y. I figured last night’s episode should have been decent. I was wrong. Sort of.

Spider-Man's Tangled Web vol. 3

Spider-Man gets plenty of love around Fish & Spaghetti Industries.  In fact Chet his completely modeled his life after the life of Peter Parker. We still mourn Chet's parents.

Anyway, I could never quite get into Spider-Man.  First it was The Clone Saga.  Then it was Norman Osborne having twins with Gwen Stacy.  Then it was the disappearance of May Parker.  And don't even get me started on how MJ and Pete's marriage ended.

Fortunately Spider-Man's Tangled Web exists.

Breaking The Law?

The Fall television season is in full swing.  There are some shows that I watch because I love and others I watch because I feel obligated.  Watching tv can be like a chore.

And because of my hectic schedule, I'm perpetually playing catch up with my tv viewing.  As a result I watch a ton of shows online.  And usually I watch things on Xfinity.com, because my internet flows from Comcast.

However some shows aren't on Xfinity...

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Charlie Day & Maroon 5

Ok, so I missed the Anna Faris episode. I was on vacation so not only did I not write about it, but I honestly haven’t even seen it. I’m guessing I’ll catch it on reruns, but then again considering how word on the street is that the episode was wack (like I said it would be) it might never get rerun.

Anyway, as a fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I’m pumped that Charlie Day is getting his moment to shine. Going in I was actively rooting for this episode to be funny. Plus, the writers and cast had some time off, so hopefully they used it to their advantage.

A Sickness in the Family

I've been interested in the Vertigo Crime graphic novels since they launched. The initial offering, Dark Entries, which featured John Constantine, wasn't the book that got me excited.  It was the second offering, Filthy Rich, by Brian Azzarello that really got me hooked.

I've been collecting ever since.

Which brings us to this week's comic focus is the Vertigo Crime graphic novel A Sickness in the Family by Denise Mina and Antonio Fuso.  

Dear Mario,...

Mario and I go way back.  I remember when he used to butt heads with Donkey Kong and I remember when he and his brother Luigi used to hang out in the sewer.  I mean, I wasn't all that into video games back then, but I remember the days.

Mario and I first got close in like '86.  But from then on, we've been pretty tight.  Every couple of years we spend an intense amount of time together and then we sort of seperate.

But last weekend, when I checked out his most recent adventure, Super Mario Bros Wii, I felt it was time for an intervention of sorts.

National Novel Writing Month?

So, National Novel Writing Month is just around the corner.

For those of you not in the know, November is National Novel Writing Month, when dozens of thousands of people try to cram out a coherent story comprised of at least 50k words, all in 30 days.

I've participated the last four years and met the 50k goal three of those four years.  It's a fun challenge and an awesome rush.

And I don't think I'm taking part this year.

The Original Johnson vol 1

I'm always on the lookout for more comics by Black creators.  I enjoy comics period, but as a relatively outspoken Black guy, I sort of feel obligated to do my best to support Black creators.

Not only is The Original Johnson about Jack Johnson, but it's written and illustrated by Trevor Von Eeden a creator who's been in the industry for three decades and worked on basically every major character.

The Original Johnson is also quite good.

Quad City International Airport

So, some of you may have surmised, I went on a bit of a trip recently. It took me away from the blog and actually required air travel.

One of the airports that I spent some time in was in Moline.  It was actually the Quad City International Airport.  (I'm assuming the "international" comes from flights to and from Canada.)

Moline is one of the Quad Cities, a place  I'm sure some people are still surprised actually exists.  Y'see back in the day the Quad Cities DJ's had a monster hit, but many people thought it was a purely fictional locale.

It's not.

Monday Munchies - Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls (Limited Batch)

Some weeks back Ben & Jerry's announced that their upcoming holiday themed Limited Batch flavor would be the SNL themed Schweddy Balls, inspired by the classic Saturday Night Live sketch.

The news made the internet weep with joy.

But then when the flavor actually came out, some retailer opted not to carry it out of fear of offending customers.

We at Fish & Spaghetti managed to get our hands on some Schweddy Balls.

Catwoman: When in Rome

If you dig comic books there are certain creative tandems that conjure up images of greatness.  Kirby & Lee.  Morrison & Quitely.  Azzarello & Risso.  Brubaker & Phillips.

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have made a name for themselves by crafting stories set in the past of icons.  For Marvel they had the "color" series.  For DC their stories revolved around the calendar.  The Long Halloween and Dark Victory are heralded as classics.  They followed up those Batman tales with Catwoman: When in Rome.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Ben Stiller & Foster The People

Expectations were raised for this episode of SNL. Not only Ben Stiller a SNL alum, but his Ben Stiller Show is one of the great American sketch comedy programs. The Ben Stiller Show was also the first sketch comedy show that I sort of claimed as “mine.”

Among the expectations were that we’d see Stiller return to familiar characters and that the show would be not only better than last week, but, y'know, actually funny.

Justice, Inc.

I've been reading comics for a minute now.  One of the cool things about going to the Baltimore Comic Con is finding comics that I'd seen house ads for back in the day.

Justice, Inc is one of those books.  I remember seeing the house ad in the back of old comics and it always struck me as something I wanted to pick up.  That stark image of a silhouette casting a shadow was a striking one.

And now I've finally read the book.

Remembering - Steve Jobs

It's sort of weird because originally I planned to write something about the iPhone 4S and how I was tempted to get one now that Sprint is going to offer them.  I was going to explore my thoughts and conflicts about the whole thing.

And then I heard Steve Jobs had died.

Give that, I figured I'd reflect on the impact Steve Jobs has had on my life.

Monday Munchies - Smartfood Kettle Corn

I'm a fan of corn. .  I like corn on the cob.  I like creamed corn.  I liked popcorn.  I even like succotash.  In fact I'm pretty sure is the only corn that I don't get some kind of enjoyment from is, well, Korn.

Popcorn is probably my favorite kind of corn because it comes in so many varieties.  It can be sweet or savory.  It can fit whatever mood you're in.  It's like the perfect snack.

So you can imagine my elation when I went I popped into a grocery store and saw that Smartfood was offering up Kettle Corn.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Melissa McCarthy & Lady Antebellum

I love Saturday Night Live. I’ve got fond memories of laughing at Mr. Bill with my mom. I can remember the summer that my cousins and I all discovered Eddie Murphy’s Buckwheat, how funny we thought it was and how our parents (and aunts and uncles) probably hated the fact that they’d let up stay up late enough to watch it.

So, while I’m not the biggest SNL nerd in the world (or even at Fish & Spaghetti Industries) I’m a big enough fan that I’d feel pretty comfortable talking about the show with anyone. And that’s why I feel comfortable enough to do Sunday Morning Quarterback.

Friday Face-Off - Gus Fring vs Hank Schrader

They've been two of the most riveting characters to watch this season on Breaking Bad.  They're also two of the most diametrically opposed characters on the show; if you're rooting for one that means you're rooting against the other.

We at Fish & Spaghetti are torn; should be be Team Hank or Team Gus?  We figured we'd dust off the ol' Friday Face-Off to help settle things.

What's that, you'd forgotten about the Friday Face-Off? Don't sweat it, we won't take it personally.  Would you care for a shot of Zafiro Anejo?  C'mon, even the bottle's a work of art.

JLA: Welcome to the Working Week

Since Patton Oswalt decided to completely give up on DC Comics yesterday, I decided that now would be as good a time as any to take a peek back at a time when the relationship between the two comic entities wasn't quite as contentious.

(Yeah, I know you were expecting a "fill in the blank" Thursday, but it's the one weekday that never had a regular feature.  Our fault. Way to go Thursday.)

Wild Pitch Wednesday - The Hangover 3

From what I've heard the second Hangover was an absolute retread of the original.  It was uninspired even by sequel standards.
Still, it was a success which means that it's only a matter of time until The Hangover 3 hits theaters.

Well, allow Fish & Spaghetti to take the first stab at pitching out a potential plot for the inevitable blockbuster.  And I've got a way to ensure that it'll be the blockbuster to end all blockbusters.

Twitter Tuesday - #occupywallstreet #toomuchdoubt

Twitter can be an interesting place.  Much like anything in the modern world it is what you make of it.  It can be a useful tool for gathering instant feedback and having your finger on the pulse of the country.

Or you could follow Lil Duval and washed up porn stars.

But this past week, instead of being the venue for the story, Twitter was the story.

Monday Munchies - Baja Fresh's Nacho Burrito

I'll never forget my first trip to Baja Fresh.  It was Friday September 21st, 2003.  I know this because it was the season premiere of Ed a show that's very near and dear to my heart.

I know this because I missed the beginning of the episode because my roommate at the time was completely distracted by the salsa and pepper bar.

Let me explain.

Sunday Morning Quarterback – Alec Baldwin & Radiohead

At Fish & Spaghetti industries we have weekly meetings (or conference calls if someone can’t make it into the office) to discuss blog content. We literally take for hours about potential Friday Face-Offs or Point/Counter-Points. We talk about new features and theme weeks.

Sadly you’ll never get to see most of it. But consider Sunday Morning Quarterback one of the lucky ones that made it out of the conversation stage and onto the blog.

Being the comedy geeks and SNL fans that we are, for years we’ve wanted to give our thoughts on new episodes. Amongst ourselves we’d dissect episodes every week, critiquing and praising.

And now you get to read it.

The Executor

It's raining like crazy right now.  Like, I'm talking torrential downpour.  Since that pretty much relegates me to the crib, I figured I'd take some time out and try my best to make good on a promise I made to myself.

A promise to read more comic books and blog about it.

The focus this week is the Vertigo Crime graphic novel The Executor

Review - Homeland

Watching anything on Youtube is tricky for me. For some reason, with my network set up, it takes forever to load.  So while I start out trying to watch something, I end up learning lessons about frustration and patience.

It's weird because I never have a problem with Xfinity or Hulu.  But Youtube give me fits.

Still, when I heard that Showtime was offering up the premiere episode of their much hyped new drama, Homeland, before it's air date and it was on Youtube, I knew I was going to have to suck it up and get a piece of that action.

Monday Munchies - Franken Berry

As a kid, one of the most enticing aspects of adulthood was being able to eat whatever I wanted when I wanted.  Ma Serpico was a huge proponent of "clean up your plate" and "three more bites, good bites" when meant that mealtime could often times end up a battle of wills.

I usually lost.

Parent mandated cereal was also something I loathed. I wanted something colorful, preferably with marshmallows or at least a mascot.  What I ended up getting was, more often than not, "kid tested, mother approved."

Franken Berry was a mythic cereal.

Karmic Comic Retribution

Ok, so last month I made a trip to the Baltimore Comic Con.  I spent too much money.  I didn't spend as much as I did last year, and I still spent too much.  Like, I've got more comics than I'll ever possibly be able to read.  I would literally have to be unemployed for six months to read the stacks and stacks of comics that I have.

And what really sucks is that in 51 weeks the Baltimore Comic Con returns, at which point I'll spend more money and have even more to read.

So I came up with a plan.  I made a reading list.  I've got a list of comics, trades and graphic novels that I've got to read in order to be able to attend next year's Baltimore Comic Con guilt free.

This week; Spider-Man Noir