C.M. Selbrede's Blog, page 6
July 15, 2019
Poem: Poison
Venom never leaves,
Your skin, your pores, your heart
Let it simmer in the Summer winds
Nevermore will you know peace
But when the light hits your crooked veins
Breathe in, and taste the life
July 11, 2019
Starlight #5: Starlight
Starlight is a series I started writing for fun in 2016, written in the “style” of a comic book. As such, this is not my best writing, but it’s something I had fun doing.
Part One
The issue begins at the front door of Cadmus’ house. Parker is waiting by the door, looking conflicted. After a moment of hesitation, he walks nervously up to the door and presses the doorbell. After what feels like forever, the door opens, revealing Cadmus’ mother, Elena.
Elena: *beaming* Parker! It’s so good to see you.
Parker nods respectfully.
Parker: Good to see you too, Ms. Way. Is Cad home?
Elena: Oh, no, I got a call from him saying he would be away for a bit.
Parker:…did he say where he was going?
Elena: I didn’t think to ask.
Parker: Uh, well, do you know if he’ll be back for the next game? The guys would like to welcome him back.
Elena: I really don’t know, Parker, sorry.
Parker: …it’s okay.
Cadmus (Narration): This is bad.
Split to the sprawling scientific chamber where Cadmus is being held. The room consists of a number of scientific instruments surrounding a glass cube, where we saw Cadmus being held last issue. Now however, it is broken. We follow the trail of glass to find Cadmus, hands bloody, hiding behind some scientific equipment.
Cadmus: It took me twelve hours to break through that material, whatever it was.
As he breathes heavily, we see a number of approaching security guards.
Cadmus: It’s going to take twelve seconds for them to catch me again. They’ve been watching me, analyzing me, figuring out…
Cadmus stares down blankly at his starry, bloody, glowing hand.
Cadmus: What I am. And their next box won’t be so fragile.
Cadmus glances out of his hiding place to see the guards sweep the corridor, rifles lit up.
Cadmus: But I have to do something.
With a cry, Cadmus rushes out at the men, who begin shooting at him. Cadmus goes full on starry, and several of the bullets rush through him except for one which just nicks his arm. He cries out.
Man: Don’t hurt him! We need him alive!
Cadmus waves his hand, producing a flash of light which leaves the men staggering. Now breathing heavily, Cadmus rushes past the guards towards the exit door.
Cadmus: I guess there’s a good side to these ill-defined powers.
Cadmus pushes through the hallway, past a number of frightened scientists. He spots a sort of ladder, and begins sprinting for it.
Cadmus: When in doubt, go up.
With a grunt, Cadmus grabs the first rung of the ladder and starts climbing. He passes another floor, where a guard runs towards him. Thinking fast, Cadmus waits until the guard gets close before head-butting him. The man staggers backwards and Cadmus quickly makes his way up the rest of the ladder.
Finally, Cadmus reaches the top of the ladder. This floor seems to be the observation area– there is a huge glass window looking down on his former enclosure.
Cadmus: So this is where they were watching me from like freaks.
Cadmus glances around frantically but there is no visible escape. He hears the thuds of soldiers following him, and realizes he is running out of time.
Cadmus: They’re almost here. I’m out of options.
Cadmus drags a chair over to ladder, and drops it down the hole. There is the sound of thuds and screams, and Cadmus jumps backward to avoid more gunfire. Darting away, Cadmus frantically looks over the cluttered desks for anything that could help him. He sees an employees phone.
Cadmus: Yes!
Jubilantly, Cadmus picks up the phone.
Cadmus: Come on, come on…
A horrible realization hits Cadmus.
Cadmus: I can’t remember any numbers. Of course I can’t. I have frickin amnesia.
Cadmus punches a computer in frustration. It shatters. There are sounds of shouts from below.
Cadmus: It’s at this point that I punch in a random number, and hope for the best.
Cadmus rapidly types a number into the phone and presses the green button.
Cadmus: As it turns out, there was one number that damn concussion couldn’t drive out of me.
The phone rings.
Cadmus: And you’ll never guess whose.
A disappointed Parker is walking away from Cad’s house when his cell phone rings. Tentatively, Parker answers the phone.
Parker: Hello?
Cadmus (Voice) : Parker?
Parker looks confusedly at his phone.
Parker: Cadmus? This isn’t your phone. Wait, I don’t care. Where the Hell have you been?
Cadmus: Oh, right. He doesn’t remember me being kidnapped. (Stupid scientists).
Parker: The guys want to talk to you and I know you can’t remember them but they sure can remember you and —
Cadmus: I’m in trouble.
Cadmus: There’s no hesitation.
Parker: What are we dealing with?
Cadmus: We.
Cadmus is struck by his friend’s words.
Cadmus: This is when I realize that I don’t deserve a friend like Parker. I probably never have.
Parker: Is it dudes from West High again? Has Nala’s old man figured out she’s dating you?
Cadmus: No, its uh… I’ve been kidnapped.
Parker: Woah, kidnapped! Like, kidnapped, kidnapped?
Cadmus: Yeah. Some weird company with a butterfly on everything.
Parker: FlyCo? That lab where whats-his-name works?
A grenade pops into the room from the opening in the floor. Cadmus kicks it back down and there is a boom.
Parker: What was that? Dude, holy ****! We need to get the police on the line!
Cadmus: No, no, we can’t.
Parker: Why man? You smoking something you shouldn’t? If these guys are keeping you hostage, the police aren’t gonna care. Trust me, I know. Ty said last week–
Cadmus: If they come for me, the scientists will tell them the truth about me. More people will be trying to dissect me. I’ll never have a normal life again. And as weird as it is to say…
Cadmus glances down at his Ridge Hill Hawkeyes t-shirt.
Cadmus: I want my life back.
Cadmus: Parker, you can’t call the police. Do you trust me?
There is a brief moment of silence, punctuated by the sound of the men drilling into the furniture Cad piled on top of the entryway.
Parker: Is this because of what you are?
Cadmus: What I…?
Parker: I saw you at the party, dude. Everyone else thought it was a hallucination but I know you. You were shaken afterwards.
Cadmus: I… I…If you knew, why didn’t you say anything?
Parker: It didn’t really matter, man. Alien freak or whatever, you’re still my best baller.
Cadmus: I don’t know what to say, but I’m in luck because I don’t get the chance to say anything.
Voice (Off-Panel): Don’t move, Cadmus.
A woman emerges from the shadows, dressed in a lab coat. She has a nasty-looking rifle aimed at Cadmus, charged with a strange energy. It is Doctor Shropp.
Shropp: This rifle has been engineered to make you suffer enough to incapacitate, so I wouldn’t move Cadmus. That’s how you want to be addressed, correct?
Cadmus: Well, that’s my name.
Shropp shakes her head, a hateful smile on her face.
Shropp: No it’s not. Cadmus was the boy you were before you became whatever you are.
Parker (Voice): Who’s the nasty bit–
Shropp: Hang up the phone and drop it on the ground. Whoever thinks they can help you can’t.
Cadmus does so, terrified.
Shropp: Now, you’re going to follow me back to your cell. I hope you know that once we learn everything we can from you, we will kill you. And I cannot wait for that moment.
Part Two
Hunter (Narration): My name is Hunter Keyes, and today I’m going to be a hero.
Hunter is in his home, typing away on his laptop, headphones over his ears.
Voice (Over Headphones): Alright boys and girls, we need to defeat this Prime Receiver if we want to get the speed feat.
Other Voice (Over Headphones): Ugh, we need more crit here guys!
Hunter: My team has been trying to get through this gauntlet for weeks. I think I’ve finally leveled up my shielding enough to get us past the receiver’s elite guard.
The typing escalates as Hunter narrows his eyes, focusing very carefully on his game.
Hunter: Come on, come on…
The game makes a sad sound and Hunter pushes away from the computer, frustrated.
Hunter: Dammit!
Voice: Ugh, so close.
Hunter: Yeah, seriously.
Other Voice: Well, I’m shot for the night. Try again tomorrow?
Hunter: Yeah, sure. We can save the world another day.
Voice: Haha, alright, see you guys.
Hunter closes down his computer, and slides it into his backpack. Sighing deeply, he flops onto his bed.
Hunter: Another day.
The doorbell rings. Hunter opens his eyes, looking perplexed.
Hunter: Who is–
The doorbell rings again, more urgently. Hunter gets up, looking annoyed.
Hunter: I’m coming, I’m coming!
As Hunter fumbles to unlock the door he mutters to himself, irritated.
Hunter: Look you can just chill, okay man? I’m so sorry I can’t open the door at the speed of–
He pulls the door open to reveal a tired looking Parker.
Hunter: –Light. Um, what–?
Parker: uh, hey. I’m Parker. We go to school together.
Hunter: I know. We’ve met.
Parker: Yeah, but I figured since we’ve never really talked–
Hunter: Yeah we have. Ms. Lewis’ spanish class freshman year.
Parker looks confused, so Hunter elaborates.
Hunter: You spent the whole time looking up inappropriate terms and insulting us in other languages.
Parker remembers, and starts laughing.
Parker: Hahaha oh yeah, that was hilarious.
Hunter: Was it though?
Parker: Look, uh, I’m not here to discuss past hilarity.
Hunter: He’s not?
Hunter: You’re not?
Parker: Cadmus needs my help, and I guess I need your help.
Hunter: Huh.
Hunter: How so?
Parker: I was asking around at the programming club, they said I should go to you. How much do you know about Low-Frequency Bio-Alarms?
Hunter: LFBA’s? One of the most complicated security procedures in corporate America.
Parker: Yeah, man.
Hunter: I mean, a little. Why? You planning some corporate espionage?
Parker: Nuh-no… I just, uh… have a project.
Hunter: In what?
Parker: School. Look, if I wanted to screw with one of those, what would I need to do?
Hunter: I mean I guess a low level electromagnetic pulse could knock out some of their systems, but to really do a number on it you’d have to couple the EMP with some serious hacking, probably some sort of virus to trip up the system on a software level.
Parker: Would these do the trick?
Parker sets his backpack down. Amidst quite a bit of computer equipment he pulls out a heavy-looking box with several wires poking out of it.
Hunter: Holy ****.
Hunter: That’s a really big EMP. Where’d you get it?
Parker: A friend of mine helped me build it.
Hunter: Who?
—
Cut to a few hours earlier, where Nala and Parker are building the EMP.
Parker: Why do you know how to do this?
Nala: The answer to that is complicated and could possibly lead to my arrest. Let’s just say people who mess with me get what they deserve. Why do you need an EMP big enough to fry half the school?
Parker:…it’s a football thing.
Nala: Mhm. Don’t use that for plating. It limits the range.
—
Parker: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Hunter: I mean, okay, say you did manage to set off this thing. You could probably take out a good piece of their security. But like I said, its worthless without the coding.
Parker: I don’t have time to learn to code, Keyes. I need a way inside ****ing FlyCo, and I need it yesterday.
Hunter: Wait, FlyCo? You do realize there’s a store at the mall, right?
Parker: I’m not going shopping, dumbass. I already have a phone.
Hunter: Then why–
Parker: Look man, they have Cad.
Hunter: They– FlyCo. FlyCo has your amnesiac buddy? Why would they even–
Parker: Because he’s special, okay? Like the people you hear about on the news. The vigilantes of Salem. The scientists of JabbourTech. Hell, that detective in London who everybody thinks is just a little too good at their job.
Hunter: Okay, Parker’s crazy. That’s clear.
Hunter stares at Parker, shocked.
Hunter: But you know what’s crazier? I believe him.
Hunter: Hey, you know what would be fun? Breaking into a highly classified facility.
July 8, 2019
Ranking Every Movie & Show in the MCU (#25-16)
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge fan of Marvel, and obviously, that includes the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV shows! In the following series, I’ve ranked all forty-some entries in order of my enjoyment (not necessarily in quality) from worst to best.
#25. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Objectively, Age of Ultron was a pretty bad movie. Between the butchering of Hawkeye, the whitewashing of Wanda and Pietro, the downright misogynistic treatment of Black Widow, and the cringeworthy Black Widow/Hulk relationship (not to mention the weirdly emotional Ultron) the movie had a lot dragging it down.
However, this movie was far closer than the original at capturing the spirit of the Avengers. It was thrilling seeing Vision (a favorite of mine) on the big screen, and the climactic battle was a ton of fun.
#24. Captain America: the first avenger
This is one of the few MCU movies which I enjoy watching over and over again. The First Avenger has a classic feel to it, a charismatic lead in Chris Evans, and of course, the phenomenal Hayley Atwell as Agent Carter. The First Avenger wasn’t the best or most interesting MCU entry, but it was one of the most solid and a lot of fun to watch.
#23. Luke Cage (Season 1)
An extremely strong debut that trailed off around its second half, Luke Cage’s first season was immersive, complex, and kept the viewers guessing at every turn. Much like the preceding entry, the origin had a classic feel to it, and the supporting cast and rich world of Harlem created something truly different in the MCU.
#22. Jessica Jones (Season 2)
An admittedly uneven run, especially compared to Jessica Jones’ classic first season, JJ S2 is weighed down by odd plotting, a thoroughly unlikable supporting cast (especially Trish) and an occasionally aimless quality… however, Krysten Ritter is talented enough that the series is worth a watch. Her Jessica Jones considers to be a high point in the MCU, snarky, complex, and damaged; enough to pull this season up from a much lower rating.
#21. Iron Man
I admittedly don’t remember this movie that well, but Iron Man was the first MCU movie I saw and it was a worthy beginning to the franchise. Self-contained and engrossing with hints of a larger universe, its easy to see how Iron Man jumpstarted such a beloved and long-running franchise.
#20. Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil War was the first MCU movie to successfully juggle a large cast of characters, and was a wondrous spectacle to experience, but it was dragged down by the mis-characterization of the Vision and Scarlet Witch, an overemphasis on Iron Man, and an underwhelming final act that painted Tony Stark as hypocritical and villainous. It had a lot of things to love, but it also had many frustrating elements that held it back from a higher score.
#19. Agent Carter (Season 1)
Agent Carter’s first season was one of the best entries in the MCU- tightly plotted, immersive, and one-of-a-kind. Featuring the perfect balance between espionage and character work, drama and humor, Agent Carter was riddled with twists and turns and lovable characters I cannot recommend this season highly enough.
(Yes, this entry should probably be higher. Its an imperfect science).
#18. Captain America: The WInter Soldier
The Winter Soldier is often considered to be one of the strongest entries in the MCU and for good reason- it successfully painted Steve Rogers as a badass, dropped one of the biggest plot twists in the MCU, and transcended the superhero genre to deliver a powerful statement on liberty and freedom. Little things, such as the weird characterization of Black Widow, prevent this otherwise brilliant movie from ranking higher on my list.
#17. Runaways (Season 1)
Runaways is somewhat more uneven than, say, Agent Carter, but it also takes many more risks. The first season of this unique show made the controversial choice to delay the actual running away, creating a colorful and rich teen drama that felt truly special and set up more interesting things to come.
#16. Runaways (Season 2)
Runaways’ action-packed second season improved on the former in a number of ways, giving us brilliant superhero and street-level drama while offering echoes of the wider MCU and really allowing the characters to start gelling as a family. Just as impulsive and unexpected as its previous season, Runaways’ second outing upped the stakes and kept the viewers and characters alike on the edge of their seats.
June 30, 2019
Short Story: Below
It had been ever so many years since Adelaide had seen the sky but that was to be expected. Children of the Lights were to be treasured, kept far underground- Adelaide knew this. Being a Child of the Lights was an honor- a true honor- and Adelaide was eternally grateful that the Lights had chosen her that fateful day, under the dim light of an eclipsed sun. They had waded through the crowd, gazing through their thick veils upon the crowd of worshippers. The villagers sang, heads bowed, wailing infants raised in reverence. They had seen the hope in each and every mother’s eyes that their child would be chosen, gifted, blessed. And the Lights had picked her- the child hidden behind a pair of whimpering heretics, falsely believing they could deny the Lights their judgement. Adelaide was not sad that her father had died. She was sad that he had died for nothing. Couldn’t he see the purity behind the Lights? Couldn’t he see what they meant not just to the American States or their Eastern Colonies, but to the whole world? If he was so foolish as to throw in with the Insurgency, getting himself killed and leaving her younger brother an orphan, he deserved everything he got. Her only regret was that Andrew would grow up without a father.
Being a Child of the Light was prestigious- it meant you had the opportunity to serve the American States: ruling as a Chancellor, policing as a Lightkeeper, and possibly even ascending to be a Light yourself. Adelaide couldn’t imagine staring into the Truth. She had too many impurities- she knew and accepted this. Her hair was thin and stringy, her face pale and freckled. Adelaide had never been meant to be anything special. She would take whatever the Lights gave her, and she would take it gladly.
Still, embarking down the narrow corridor which connected her living quarters to the rest of the compound, so dark and dismal, a strain of melancholy found its way into Adelaide’s heart. The cold, unforgiving steel made her miss the fragile, springy earth; the flickering yellowish lights reminded her of the warm, friendly sun. This was her fatal impurity- doubt. Adelaide was sure that a true Child of the Light would worship these tinny halls, wreathed in blessed shadows. They would relish the strength suffering offered to them.
But, Lights forgive her, sometimes Adelaide just felt lonely.
Another figure approached and Adelaide paused, nodding respectfully as she had been taught while keeping her eyes fixed upon the ground. All Children of the Light were trained to avoid eye contact- this was because coming face to face with a Light, even for an instant, cursed mere mortals to perish an unimaginably painful death. It was best to avoid the possibility; there was only so much the veils could do.
Sometimes Adelaide wondered if it hurt, having the weakness burned out of you. It couldn’t hurt any more than living imperfectly, day after day, decaying slowly by nature’s design.
ACC in 2019: July
As ACC in 2019 nears its end, Starlight’s first arc draws to a close, a somewhat spoilery short story offers a glimpse at ACC 20/20, and my series ranking every project in the MCU continues. Stick with me as Electric/Eccentric’s new content chugs along through the heat of the Summer, and continue to experience some wild, wonderful worlds!
Monday, July 1st- “Below” (Micro Story)Monday, July 8th- “Ranking the MCU” (Opinion)Thursday, July 11th- “Issue #5: Starlight” (Starlight)Monday, July 15th- “Poison” (Poem)Monday, July 22nd- “Ranking the MCU” (Opinion)Thursday, July 25th- “Chapter IV: Uncle Sam” (Anna, Farmer)Monday, July 29th- “Starlight Annual #1: Starlight” (Starlight)Wednesday, July 31st- “ACC in 2019: August” (ACC in 2019 Inventory)
June 26, 2019
The Walk (Anna, Farmer #3)
And so it came to be that Anna strolled out through the media center of her school, a determined look in her small brown eyes. Brash, but thoughtful, Anna ducked through the scattered shelves of various educational materials and computers, avoiding the watchful gazes of the normally quite perceptive librarians. As it happened, Anna was in luck- Mr. Wilkins was currently going through a traumatizing divorce, and Ms. DuPont was buying a wonderful pair of discounted pumps on her laptop, so neither had eyes for the little girl as she slunk out of the school.
As Anna passed through the front doors of the building, she was joined by two black cats, who haughtily fell into step behind her. Anna couldn’t help but grin widely.
“Apple, Cherry,” she smiled at the two cats. “How do you do?”
Neither Apple nor Cherry replied to this, being cats, but both regarded her with an appraising look. The two cats were strays who could be found many places around town, being far too smart to fall into the local shelter’s clutches, and Anna had helped them out on numerous occasions, providing food and shelter on cold winter nights. As such, Apple and Cherry had an immense amount of respect for Anna, and enjoyed her company on the odd occasion.
“Do you know the way to the Jacksons?” Anna asked Apple. Apple merely stared at her, before turning her gaze to Cherry.
“This kid knows we can’t talk, right?” was written all over her narrow features.
Unperturbed, Anna, Apple, and Cherry walked down along the main street, block after block, as Anna attempted to recall the location of the Jackson home. She took a few wrong turns, and found herself at a somewhat suspect Waffle House not once, but twice, but eventually, the small girl and her companions strode up towards the dingy green townhome, paint peeling off of its small porch.
“Here we are,” Anna observed seriously, turning back to Apple and Cherry. “Did you have a nice walk?”
“It would’ve been nicer without your incessant prattling,” Cherry meowed to herself, and Apple glared at her companion.
“I agree, it was quite refreshing,” Anna replied, oblivious to the cat’s true words. Carefully, she stepped up towards the front door and knocked as loudly as she could. She stepped back, waiting patiently, and as footsteps sounded in the home, Apple and Cherry slunk into the shadows.
“Now, then,” Anna admonished the two. “There’s no need to be so–“
The door swung open, and the tired-looking form of Mr. Jackson peered out of the home. He took in the small girl with weary, hardened eyes, and shook his head as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.
“Anna McDermott?” Mr. Jackson blinked. “Can I… help you?”
“Good morning Mr. Jackson,” Anna nodded stiffly towards the older man. “Is Jake okay?”
“Is he…?” Mr. Jackson paused, unsure how to respond to this. “Does your father know you’re here?”
“I’m concerned,” Anna ignored the latter question, placing her hands upon her hips in a way she hoped would lend her some authority. “He didn’t stop by last Saturday. Did he forget?”
“No, he didn’t forget,” Mr. Jackson stiffened, running a shaking hand through his salt and pepper hair. “Now, Anna, I must insist–“
“Then why isn’t he in school?” Anna questioned.
Mr. Jackson’s eyes widened. “He wasn’t in school?”
“No, sir,” Anna shook her head emphatically. “I’m concerned,” she repeated.
For a moment, Mr. Jackson considered sending the little girl away, demanding she mind her own business, and returning to the privacy of his own home. However, she certainly meant well, and she’d brought him important information regarding his son. She was just a little girl, and there was no harm in telling her the truth, embarrassing though it may be.
“I’m afraid, Anna,” Mr. Jackson bent down so he could look the little girl in the eyes. “That things have been a little hard for our family recently. I’m in the process of selling the store, and money is a bit thin.”
“Oh,” Anna blinked. “Would you like me to bring you some eggs for free?” she offered.
“That’s very kind,” Mr. Jackson smiled, letting out a tired laugh. “But no, I’m afraid we could never take your charity. We’ll work our way through this.”
Anna hesitated. “And… Jake?”
“Jake is taking our current situation hard,” Mr. Jackson sighed. “He loved the store, and knowing his parents will soon be unemployed is…”
“Unpleasant, I’m sure,” Anna frowned sympathetically. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, Anna,” Mr. Jackson smiled thinly. “Just go back to class. I’ll talk with Jake when he gets home about skipping school. However, I must advise you return to your own classes before you get in trouble.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Anna waved him off dismissively.
Mr. Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“I’m already in trouble,” Anna gestured across the street, to where a police car had stopped, doors opening to reveal two burly looking police officers familiar from school. They lumbered over to Anna, shaking their heads.
“Have a nice day, Mr. Jackson,” Anna said pleasantly, and went off to join the truancy officers.
June 24, 2019
Ranking Every Movie & Show in the MCU (#35-26)
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge fan of Marvel, and obviously, that includes the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV shows! In the following series, I’ve ranked all forty-some entries in order of my enjoyment (not necessarily in quality) from worst to best.
#35. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Like with many of these lower-ranked entries, there were parts of this movie I absolutely loved: the inclusion of Mantis, (a favorite of mine, despite the drastic changes from the comics) not to mention the rich character development of Rocket and Nebula were all high points in this movie. However, Drax became near-unbearable, the jokes were a bit too much, and the treatment of the celestials was a bit underwhelming to me.
#34. Iron fist (Season 1)
A boring, one-note series with a petulant lead, a questionable villain choice, and some underwhelming pacing, Iron Fist’s first season was redeemed by the supporting cast which I found endlessly interesting… especially Jessica Henwick’s Colleen Wing, who singlehandedly bumps this season up from a much lower ranking.
#33. agent carter (season 2)
After a phenomenal first season, Agent Carter returned for a solid-enough second outing that (aside from the introductions of Madame Masque and the Darkforce) proved somewhat forgettable. With one of the worst endings a TV show has ever had, and an off-balance sense of humor, this season fell short of what it could’ve been.
#32. iron man 2
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Tacky, I know, but Iron Man 2 gets a huge bump from its nostalgia factor for me: It was the first MCU entry I saw in theaters, and the toyetic, frantic nature of it (not to mention the introductions of War Machine and Black Widow) made this movie super fun to watch. I have no regrets about the placement of this movie- it was flawed, certainly, but it was also an important part of the MCU.
#31. Thor
I enjoyed Thor a lot at the time, and its far better than its first sequel, but that came more from my personal enjoyment of mystic elements than anything. In retrospect, the first Thor movie was somewhat paint-by-numbers and forgettable, but Darcy Lewis has yet to outgrow her humor and the Warriors Three were fun enough to propel this movie to a higher slot.
#30. Agents of SHIELD (Season 1)
The first season of Agents of SHIELD stalled somewhat with an uneven first season waiting for The Winter Soldier to hurry up and arrive. However, despite this, the character work was some of the strongest in the MCU, and a few of the monster of the week stories were pretty awesome- and, of course, once Hydra surfaced, the season spent its last few episodes at a much higher caliber than what came before.
#29. Daredevil (Season 2)
Yes, The Punisher arc was great, and yes, the Elektra arc was… meh, producing a uniquely “just okay” season of a phenomenal show. I did like Elodie Yung’s Elektra, and it was good to see Rosario Dawson play a role on the show one final time, but otherwise I completely agree that this season was a missed opportunity in a variety of senses.
#28. Guardians of the galaxy
Though it suffers from some of the same problems that I disliked in its sequel, and had a notable lack of Mantis (who I love) I still enjoyed the first GotG movie better due to its slightly more balanced tone, not to mention the sheer novelty of seeing James Gunn’s unique voice come to life for the very first time.
#27. Agents of SHIELD (Season 3)
If Season 1 was stalled, Season 3 was overcrowded with a huge cast and way too much going on. Starting strong with a mutant-esque Inhumans story and emphasis on Daisy’s new status as a superhero, (not to mention the phenomenal Simmons bottle episode) the season took a bit of a nosedive midway through when Coulson’s new love interest was fridged, Hydra resurfaced yet again, and Hive made his presence felt in a tired rehashing of tropes mixed with unpleasant new developments.
#26. Spider-Man: Homecoming
I was originally a Spider-Man fan, and though my taste for Peter Parker has somewhat diminished this was a pretty epic movie undermined by its overuse of Tony Stark, disuse of Aunt May, and blatant copy/pasting of Miles Morales supporting cast. All the pieces were there for a great Spider-Man movie, but some other elements were tacked on unnecessarily and really dragged this movie down.
June 19, 2019
Coming this Summer- The Valley Chronicles, New Editions!
Coming this Summer, cheaper, shinier, new editions of the entire Valley Chronicles trilogy! As the third and final book, Tempest, descends, the entire trilogy will be reworked to be cheaper and spiffier, and will sport beautiful new artwork by Jenette Harris! Look for more details about this awesomeness soon!
June 17, 2019
Poem: Swathe
Around me sits a swathe,
It carves me away from those who stay,
It keeps me alone in the dead of night,
Whispering to the stars to remember me.
The air chirps and chills,
Telling the world to stay away, stay away
It burns blue, an electric fire
That illuminates the echoes I had hoped to forget.
June 13, 2019
Starlight #4: Slasher
Starlight is a series I started writing for fun in 2016, written in the “style” of a comic book. As such, this is not my best writing, but it’s something I had fun doing.
Cadmus stares, shocked, at the bloody scene before him. The elderly man cackles as he continues drawing the symbol.
Cadmus: I… I… don’t understand.
Man: That’s okay, Cadmus. You won’t for a while.
Cadmus: What, and I will someday?
Man: You will. And you will bless us for it.
Cadmus: Okay, what–?
Cadmus backs away as the man gets down on one knee, and bows his head before him.
Man: We are your humble–
Cadmus: Yeah, I’m out–
Cadmus turns tail and starts running. The man looks up, horrified.
Man: Where are you going? We haven’t finished!
Cadmus: He’s crazy, he’s crazy, he’s–
A knife flies by Cad’s head, embedding itself in a locker.
Cadmus: Gah! Where is everybody?
The man grabs Cad’s neck and slams him into the lockers.
Man: We are! Not! Finished!
The man punches Cadmus once in the face. Cadmus’ eyes glow and his skin turns starry.
Man: Yes! The blessed metamorpho–
Cadmus head butts the man, who recoils.
Cadmus: Stay away from me!
Man: You will come for us. You will be made to understand.
Cadmus raises an arm threateningly.
Cadmus: I’m not going anywhere with you! Look, I don’t know what you want, or if you’re just plain crazy, but I am not being any part of this!
Man: You are our messiah–
Cadmus: I’m a kid!
Man: Not anymore.
Cadmus: This is when it hits me– less talking, more running.
Cadmus rushes at the man, and hits him with a starry fist. The man flies backwards into a locker, making a huge dent as Cadmus starts running.
Cadmus emerges from the school, and runs right into the practicing football team outside the stadium. They look up, and break out into excited shouts.
Player: Cad!
Other Player: Cadster!
Cadmus: I don’t have time for this.
Parker (Off-Panel): Cadmus!
Parker approaches Cadmus, grinning.
Parker: I didn’t think you’d show!
A tall guy approaches and claps Cad on the back.
Cadmus: Andrew McHale. Senior. Star quarterback. Another complication.
Andrew: Once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye! We missed you, buddy.
Cadmus: I’m not here to play.
Andrew: Well, not without some equipment.
Cadmus: No, I’m not here to play.
Andrew looks over Cadmus for a second.
Andrew: Well, holler if you change your mind!
Andrew returns to the pack of players, giving Cad one last thumbs up.
Andrew: Aight guys, don’t crowd Cad, he’s still not feeling so hot…
Parker: What the Hell, man?
Cadmus: Look, I don’t have time for this dumbass game right now…
Parker: Dumbass? Dude this is the–
Cadmus: *interrupts* You really don’t get it do you? I’ve lost my memory. I have no idea who I am anymore. I don’t know what I am. Do you have any idea what its like to–
Parker: (disbelieving) I don’t get it? I… I don’t get it? You think you’re in Hell? You used to be the only person I could count on to support me no matter what. You used to be the only one who understood what… what my dad is like and you were the only person who laughed at my sucky football puns. You used to be my best friend. And now you’re standing here, and you’re you, except you’re a judgmental bastard who hates me. Who hates all of us… *motions to team*
Cadmus: I don’t hate–
Parker: You’re a horrible liar, Cad. I’ve been there for you through your hangovers, your bad games, your dumb relationship moves and weird cult obsession, but I’m not going to sit here, and watch you drop me into a box like everyone else. You’re just like the rest of them now. You think you know everything about me because of a jersey I wear.
Cadmus: I…I…
Their conversation is interrupted by the landing of a strange canister on the ground.
Parker: What the–
It starts smoking, and Cadmus tenses.
Cadmus: Get down!
Cadmus tackles Parker, and the two hit the ground as the gas fills the area. There is the sound of the other football players coughing. From the smoke, a squadron of men emerge, wearing full paramilitary gear and gas masks.
Cadmus: What.. do you want?
Soldier: Take the boy.
The soldiers rush at Cadmus, and grab him.
Cadmus: Hey–
Parker: Get away from him!
Parker lunges at the man, but is knocked out. Cadmus watches, horrified, as Parker hits the ground.
Cadmus: No!
Soldier: Don’t worry, kid. He won’t remember any of it.
Cadmus: Who are you?
The soldier slams Cadmus on the head with the butt of his rifle, and Cadmus blacks out.
After floating through a sea of darkness, Cadmus finally opens his eyes.
Cadmus: Wha… what?
Cadmus is in a glass box, small, in the middle of a large white room. The room has faraway windows, where a number of scientists watch him.
Doctor: Subject appears to be awake…
Cadmus: Hey! Hey, you can’t do this!
Other Doctor: Doctor Shropp, the subject’s vital signs are nothing like the average human.
Shropp: Because he’s not human, not anymore. And we’re going to find out why.
To be continued…
