Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Top 5 Rob Thomas/Matchbox Twenty Songs

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 17, 2008
Post category:Personal
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[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebPvlqgxy4] 5. Bright Lights (More Than You Think You Are, Matchbox Twenty) And maybe, maybe, maybe You'll find something thats enough to keep you But if the bright lights don't receive you You should turn yourself around and come on home 4. Something To Be (Something To Be, Rob Thomas) Play another one of those heartbreak songs Tell another story how things go wrong And they never get back My pain is a platinum stack Take that shit back You don't wanna be me when it all goes wrong You don't wanna see me with the houselights on 3. Hand Me Down (More…

On Comics, Pokémon and Storm Hawks

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 16, 2008
Post category:Media Personal Pop Culture Reviews
Post comments:4 Comments

Other than the occasional review at Amazon — or even less frequently, at PopCultureShock — it’s been a while since I’ve written about comics. After 2.5 years of being ankle-deep in the industry, writing reviews, interviews, commentary and the occasional news piece, I really don’t miss it at all. While I’m still reading comics, my weekly trips to Midtown Comics have become monthly trips, at best, and my pull list has shrunk considerably to the point where I barely meet their 10-title minimum. Last time I was there, right before New Year’s Eve, I picked up six weeks worth of comics, including the Satchel Paige graphic novel (review coming soon), and spent less than $25 with my discount, which my wallet definitely appreciated. (My liver, which is bearing the brunt of that redistributed cash flow, not so much.)

One thing I really don’t miss is tracking the 150+ comic book websites and blogs I used to read regularly to stay in the loop. Some of the best/worst highlights were the times when comics “professionals” would get caught up in some ridiculous flame war with a fan or pundit, usually over something incredibly petty and stupid. For instance, the apparently revived and reconceived MurderShow.net, tipped me off to a post at NEWSarama where notoriously thin-skinned Marvel Comics writer Dan Slott reveals he has a bit too much time on his hands.

As these things typically go, it’s a relatively minor dust-up, but it’s the kind of thing that certainly doesn’t win a creator any new fans and could prove off-putting to existing fans who are already frustrated with Marvel for myriad reasons. It’s also not the best approach for a B-list writer like Slott who has a small, rabidly loyal fanbase but is still looking for a breakout run on a top-selling series to push him onto the A-list. The thrice-monthly Amazing Spider-Man will presumably offer him that chance, but as one of four B-list writers who’ll be churning out editorially mandated storylines, partnering with much higher profile artists, that’s not really the best recipe for a breakout performance.

Other random thoughts on comic-related stuff:

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My Awesome God’s Full of Hope!

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 14, 2008
Post category:Personal
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(an off-the-cuff villanelle, kind of by request) Because we live in a time of pure dread our future at the mercy of madmen I worship the awesome god in my head. Bush kisses his nukes each night before bed while Cheney cackles away in his den because we live in a time of pure dread. With Rudi's campaign not yet in the red and Huckabee-ing America's friend I worship the awesome god in my head. McCain wants Asians and Muslims all dead and crazy Paul raises crazy millions because we live in a time of pure dread. While Clinton plays word games, "he…

There’s Something (Wrong) About Hillary

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 14, 2008
Post category:Uncategorized
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As recently as this past Saturday, while working the Obama visibility event in Union Square, I said to several people that I thought one of the best things about this election is that we have three viable Democratic candidates who have a legitimate shot at winning the Presidency in November. Barack Obama, obviously, is my first choice, with John Edwards a close second and Hillary Clinton a distant, but not totally unpalatable third. Not even 48 hours later, I see two viable candidates and one who is quickly becoming so toxic that not only can I see myself not voting for her in November, but dedicating my time and energy to working for the opposition, ideally Mayor Bloomberg’s inevitable campaign.

There was a brief moment early last week where I believed the combination of the historical import of a Clinton vs. Obama primary and the slam dunk seemingly awaiting the Democrats in November would override the petty politics-as-usual campaign tactics; that they would be able to engage on the issues and focus on their very different approaches to achieving their goals. I hoped there would be a very conscious decision by all three candidates to fight fair so as to ensure a healthy nominee we could all get behind in November.

Instead, I’m watching Hillary, Bill and company piss all over the process and claim that it’s just raining.

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Obama Visibility in Union Square

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 13, 2008
Post category:Personal
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I attended my first “visibility” event for Barack Obama yesterday, in Union Square, right in the midst of the Greenmarket, a perfect location to both be seen by and talk to a pretty diverse range of New Yorkers. There were approx. 20 of us spread throughout the Market, armed with “Obama ’08” signs and, with the deadline to register to vote in the Feb. 5th primary having passed, sign-up forms for people to pledge their support for him and offer to volunteer to help the campaign. I signed up 12 people during the 2.5 hours I was out there (including three potential volunteers), got a thumbs up from a few dozen more who said they were already supporting him, and had interesting discussions with a handful of people, including one who was tentatively supporting Hillary Clinton but keeping an open mind.

As a former Jehovah’s Witness, the whole steup was very familiar, and within about a half-hour, I was pretty comfortable being out there, not missing a beat when I bumped into a former co-worker, something that had always felt awkward back in those days of, um…campaigning for God. One of the things I learned back then was to read body language and faces and eyes, to discern between those who don’t see you and are actively avoiding seeing you, and those instincts were still pretty strong yesterday.

Interestingly, and purely anecdotal and subjective, most of those I saw who openly supported Obama — either by signing up or offering encouraging comments — were white, while a lot of the black people who passed me by either noticeably avoided making eye contact or had looks that I interpreted as an odd mix of melancholy and wistfulness. Of the various people I spoke to, several of them, all intending to vote for whomever the Democrats ultimately put forward, spoke of a deep distrust of the Clintons, one in particular whose comments were so outlandish I had to not-so-subtly shoo him away.

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Carbon Offsets Not Just an Indulgence

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 12, 2008
Post category:Personal
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Even though I self-identify as a progressive and/or liberal — and definitely am on specific hot-button issues like same-sex marriage and abortion — overall I’m probably much more of a moderate, and when it comes to environmental issues, while I enjoyed Happy Feet and every one of Carl Hiaasen’s novels, my opinion on them has generally mirrored my concerns about cancer when I was a regular smoker: I basically ignored it.

Not because I don’t care, of course, but because there was seemingly nothing I could do about it. While you can usually quit smoking with some effort and self-discipline — and I eventually did — unless you’re wealthy, it just isn’t easy living green, especially when it comes to cars.

I’d love to be able to bike to work, but it’s simply too far, so I take public transportation, which is fine. Salomé would have to leave home around 6am, though, in order to get to work on time, which isn’t fine, so she drives the 6 miles each way, every day. On the weekends, we run our errands, maybe take a trip over to Nyack, or out to Jersey or (less and less these days) up to New England. Throw in a trip or two down to my mother’s in Virginia and we’re still barely hitting 10,000 miles/year, putting our estimated carbon footprint at 6,984 lbs carbon dioxide last year, according to TerraPass, well below the national average of 19,564 lbs (based on EPA estimated national average of 231 miles/week per vehicle).

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Borders’ Open-Door Poetry

Post author:Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Post published:January 11, 2008
Post category:Media Personal Pop Culture
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Borders -- partnering with The Student Publishing Program, one of the top high school writing programs in the country -- has launched an interesting new online program promoting poetry called Open-Door Poetry: "Open-Door Poetry" is for anyone who has ever wanted to communicate to others in some way while opening the door for viewers to become active participants. Each compelling episode features seven to 10 "spoken-word" and "academic" poets giving writing advice or reciting poems live from locations ranging from the streets and rooftops in New York City to the living room in the home of the poet. Each episode…