Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 88
May 17, 2023
May 17, 2023: Amazing Covers!
A few that caught my eye this week…
Avengers #1 – cover art by Derrick Chew
Avengers #1 – cover art by John Tyler Christopher
Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #4 – cover art by Betsy Cola
Fantastic Four #7 – cover art by Scott Koblish
Guardians of the Galaxy #2 – cover art by Miguel Mercado
Barbarella: The Center Cannot Hold #3 – cover art by Madibek Musabekov
Batgirls #18 – cover art by Crystal Kung
Batgirls #18 – cover art by David Marquez
Superman #4 – cover art by Nathan Szerdy
Waller vs Wildstorm #2 – cover art by Jorge Fornes
Wonder Woman #799 – cover art by Rahzzah
Little Monsters #13 – cover art by Jason Shawn Alexander
The Last Barbarians #4 – cover art by Brian Haberlin
The Last Barbarians #4 – cover art by Brian Haberlin; Geirrod Van Dyke
The Last Barbarians #4 – cover art by Brian Haberlin
House of Slaughter #15 – cover art by Sebastian Fiumara
Cinderella Vs. The Queen of Hearts #2 – cover art by Lobos
So, which were YOUR favorites?
The post May 17, 2023: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 16, 2023
May 16, 2023: Back Home!
Yatta! I am finally back in Toronto. And look who came to meet me at the airport. None other than Suji. And Akemi tagged along!
As I was leaving Montreal, ending my 9 day shift in La Belle Province, my sister was clocking in from her vacation. It’ll be back to the old grind for her and mom as they head back to work this week – and I batten down the hatches and focus on the business plan for my horror movie. I also got news from my comic book agent that a publisher is interested in my far-future space adventure series a la Dark Matter, so I need to flesh out my pitch (overview, character and issue breakdowns). But all that’s for another day. Namely, tomorrow.
My mother has often been dismissive of the oddball curios she receives as gifts, derisively referring to them as “nick-nacks” – but that doesn’t stop her from keeping them. Here are a few of the nickiest and nackiest that have adorned her basement shelves since time immemorial.
The genie lamp that’s really more Barbara Eden I Dream of Jeannie than Robin Williams Aladin.
As a kid, there was no worse gift than a decorative German wooden toy.
The Holy Grail of nick-nacks: The Royal Soup Tureen!
Today’s Yes/No…
Poitin? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/TpfDBHTj3O
— Joseph Mallozzi
(@BaronDestructo) May 16, 2023
The post May 16, 2023: Back Home! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 15, 2023
May 15, 2023: Last Full Day in Montreal!
Day 9 of 10 of this Montreal trip is fast drawing to a close as I prepare to return to my wife, my dog and, of course, my bed.
The whole reason I came here was to take care of my mother while my sister was away. By “take care”, I assumed that meant doing things for her while she was laid up with sciatica. As it turns out, Italian mothers are incredibly stubborn (who’d have thunk it?) and will, evidently, not be denied their cooking, cleaning, and gardening. So I was more of a bystander this past week or so.
Pictured above: Sitting down for Mother’s Day lunch, then celebrating – and taking a break from gardening – to bake a bunch of almond cakes.
Across the street live a (comparatively) younger French couple, Andre and Chantal, who will walk mom’s dogs every morning and pick up requested items whenever they go shopping.
Mother’s Day lunch accompanied by a bottle of port.
Thin-skinned Ralphie and laid-back Fernando enjoying the sun.
What movie holds your record for most repeat viewings at a movie theater? And how many times did you go see it?
Me: 11 times pic.twitter.com/k6y7QyJuPO
— Joseph Mallozzi
Today’s Yes/No…
Drinkable Cake? Yes/No
Can you really drink Sushiro Japan’s limited-time-only drinkable cake? We find out https://t.co/2Ui0BJEKZ4 via @RocketNews24En
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post May 15, 2023: Last Full Day in Montreal! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 14, 2023
May 14, 2023: Suji Sunday!
In Montreal for 9 days and missing my girl(s). The last time I was out of town, Suji didn’t poop for three days in protest. From what I hear, she seems somewhat less upset this time around.
Suji visited the vet earlier this week. We’ve noticed she’s grown a little more lethargic of late and a lot needier, especially if we’re not within sight (which, for her, is a very, very short range). Picking her up and carrying her around calms her down. She really enjoys the baby treatment.
We also brought her in to check out some recurring nose leakage and infrequent sneezing. Pollen allergy?
She was prescribed some antibiotics and Akemi was told to keep an eye on her as the cause could be anything from a cold to an infection to a tumor in her nasal cavity.
Overall though, she remains in very good spirits – vocal, happy, and always hungry!
The post May 14, 2023: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 13, 2023
May 13, 2023: The Horror Marathon is back on!
Enemy (2013)
A man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.
My thoughts: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more lethargic execution of this premise. Some of the character logic is hard to swallow; equally so the obtuse symbolism.
2.5/5
High Life (2018)
A father and his daughter struggle to survive in deep space where they live in isolation.
My thoughts: Style over substance in this pretentious sci-fi film that seems like it has a lot to say, but chooses to do so in opaque and lethargic fashion.
2.5/5
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
12 years after the death of their daughter, a doll-maker and his wife welcome several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, where they become the target of the doll-maker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.
My thoughts: I”m not usually a fan of prequels but this one bucks the trend, delivering a spooky stand-alone tale with some pretty solid jump scares.
4/5
Scream VI (2023)
In the next installment, the survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.
My thoughts: As the kills grow increasingly contrived, the meta elements increasingly clunky, and the end-of-film revelantions increasingly expository and convoluted, it’s clear that this franchise is running on fumes.
P.S. Kudos to the ludicrous resiliency of stabbing victims.
2.5/5
2LDK (2003)
Two actresses who have auditioned for one part, sharing the same apartment with opposite personalities equals a night which either neither of them will forget – if they survive!
Thoughts: Top notch direction in this out-there thriller that makes efficient use of its lean runtime, building both characters and tension towards its gloriously over-the-top climax.
4/5
The post May 13, 2023: The Horror Marathon is back on! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 12, 2023
May 12, 2023: Writing, Capunti con Broccoli, and Columbo!
Holy smokes! What a productive day! I completed the first draft of Issue #2 of my horror comic (Grand announcement forthcoming), finished a first pass on the overview for that small town supernatural mystery series, also completed a first pass on the Business Plan for my indie horror film, and bought an oilfield service stock on the dip. All this while in Montreal with mom, entertaining family…
Pictured (clockwise from bottom left): Mom, Auntie Antoinette, cousin Evelina, cousin Leonora.
They stopped by for lunch on their way back to Toronto following their own Montreal visit. ON the menu today: Capunti con Broccoli, crab mousse, pickled eggplant, taralli, and almond cake.
Make your own Capunti con Broccoli at home. Mama Mallozzi shows you how!
As per routine, last night I sat down with mom to watch a double-feature of Murder She Wrote and a thoroughly implausible Columbo in which Faye Dunaway plays a flirtatious socialite who attempts to seduce the crumpled detective.
It’s all rather awkward, made all the more so by the fact that Columbo is married (to a woman who, it is revealed in an early episode, makes a habit of stealing restaurant ashtrays!) – though later divorced for t.v. purposes so they could launch the Mrs. Columbo (aka Kate Columbo, aka Kate the Detective, aka Kate Loves A Mystery) series starring Kate Mulgrew as his MUCH younger ex-wife (a show Peter Falk summed up accordingly: “It was a bad idea. It was disgraceful.”). At some point in the series run, they fiddled with the backstory so that rather than once being married to Peter Falk’s Columbo, she was married to an entirely different Detective Columbo, sorry for the confusion. Ten years later when Peter Falk reprised the role of Columbo on ABC, he made a passing reference to a strange woman running around pretending to be his wife.
Today’s Yes/No…
Midnight Snack (banana, peanut butter and bacon-flavored) Whiskey? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/YrXnEpApSX
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post May 12, 2023: Writing, Capunti con Broccoli, and Columbo! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 11, 2023
May 11, 2023: Unusual Deaths!
#UnusualDeaths
In 1857, 15 year old farmhand John Mitchell was literally frightened to death by fellow servant John Percival who jumped out at him one night wearing a white table cloth. Percival subsequently spent three months in jail for, presumably, impersonating a ghost. pic.twitter.com/6KfmpLznE1
— Joseph Mallozzi
According to legend, in 762, the Chinese poet Li Po (also known as Li Bai) drowned after attempting to embrace the reflection of the moon on the waters of the Yangtze River. Some suspect he may have been drunk at the time. pic.twitter.com/VcZNDmInDA
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On October 9, 1911, whiskey great Jack Daniel died from blood poisoning, the result of an infection incurred after he kicked his office safe in frustration because he had forgotten the combination.
(Pictured: the actual offending safe) pic.twitter.com/yeOJsj6zXC
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On February 25, 1983, American playwright and screenwriter Tennessee Williams choked to death on a bottle he was holding in his mouth while applying eye drops. pic.twitter.com/1xpQ8c1EFR
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
In 1985, lifeguards at the New Orleans recreation department celebrated their first drowning-free season with a pool party which was attended by over 100 lifeguards – none of whom noticed the drowned guest floating at the bottom of the pool until party's end. pic.twitter.com/nVYbwcUbRt
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
On March 22, 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully died of gangrene, the result of an injury suffered when he banged his toe with a conductor's staff during a performance of Te Deum. If only he had opted for a conductor's baton. pic.twitter.com/KqfIAtzICu
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
King Bela I of Hungary died on September 11, 1063 after suffering serious injuries when his wooden throne collapsed beneath him. pic.twitter.com/HE0ii1Xw3Y
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
To prove that Yellow Fever was transmitted by mosquitoes, American physician Jesse William Lazear allowed an infected mosquito to bite him. He contracted Yellow Fever and died on September 25, 1900 – but not before proving his hypothesis. pic.twitter.com/LMCkN23rk0
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Like most chemists of his day, Carl Wilhelm Sheele made it a habit to smell and taste the new chemicals he discovered. He died on May 21, 1786 as a result of exposure to lead, arsenic, and hydrofluoric acid. pic.twitter.com/vwNlE3Ku7e
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
General John Sedgwick of the Union Army died on May 9, 1864 just prior to the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Shortly after uttering the words: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance.", he was shot and killed by a Confederate sharpshooter. pic.twitter.com/rc4HV4QLme
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post May 11, 2023: Unusual Deaths! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 10, 2023
May 10, 2023: Amazing Covers!
These caught my eye…
Daredevil #11 – cover art by Dave Johnson
Rogue & Gambit #3 – cover art by Jeff Dekal
Silk #1 – cover art by Derrick Chew
Silk #1 – cover art by Tom Reilly
The Amazing Spider-Man #25 – cover art by Greg Land
Barbarella: The Center Cannot Hold #3 – cover art by Madibek Musabekov
Nocterra #14 – cover art by Tony S. Daniel, Marcelo Maiolo
Green Lantern #1 – cover art by Pete Woods
Spirit World #1 – cover art by Zu Orzu
The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country – The Glass House #2 – cover art by Michael Walsh
Ghostlore #1 – cover art by Reiko Murakami
Colorless, Vol. 4 – cover art by Kent
So, which were YOUR favorites?
The post May 10, 2023: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 9, 2023
May 9, 2023: Montreal Day #2! Blurbs and Reviews!
My mother’s internet his slower than the the dial-up at my high school library.
Today, I was dispatched on not one but TWO shopping missions. On the first, I got lost and a trip that should have taken 30 minutes took closer to 2 hours. The second was a much more manageable 20 minute foray for cheddar cheese and two batten-down-the-hatches-and-let’s-ride-out-this-storm size bags of sugar.
The power was down all morning as crews worked to fix the damage from last month’s ice storm. I took advantage of the down time to do some writing – in my head – and accomplished next to nothing. For some reason, when I’m in Montreal, I get nothing done.
Got the preliminary shooting schedule for that horror movie. I’m pleasantly surprised. To be honest, I thought it would be longer. Hopefully the pleasant surprises continue with the pending delivery of that preliminary budget.
Had a productive talk today with an indie film-savvy producer this afternoon, then touched base with an old friend from my Dark Matter days to help educate me on the tax credit front.
The script, as it turns out, was the easy part. The business plan is much more foreboding.
On blurbs and reviews…
It really depends on how I'm feeling at the time and, to be honest, there's nothing worse than having to read a book if you're not in a reading mood. Especially if someone is counting on you. 2/
— Joseph Mallozzi
I'd say that I truly love, at most, 10% of the books I read, or the shows and movies I watch. The lion share range from below average to pretty good. Roughly another 10% are terrible. 4/
— Joseph Mallozzi
It's really hard to win me over (as the recent bullet reviews in my on-going horror marathon have proven) and, while I try to be supportive, I cannot, in good conscience, lie. 6/
— Joseph Mallozzi
I rarely agree to do blurbs or reviews of upcoming titles because I really don't want to end up in a situation where I am expected to say something positive about a bad or boring book. 8/
— Joseph Mallozzi
Of course there are exceptions. If I've read the author and enjoyed their previous work – say, a John Scalzi, an Adrian Tchaikovsky, or a Jeff VanderMeer – I'm happy to commit because I know I'm unlikely to be disappointed. 10/
— Joseph Mallozzi
…they are simply looking for validation. And I'm passed the point of being surprised by who falls into which camp. A couple of years ago, I agreed to be a mentor for a program to help guide young female screenwriters. 12/
— Joseph Mallozzi
Every last one. They were super gracious, often asked if we could hop on a follow-up zoom to go over the notes, and I was always happy to discuss. 14/
— Joseph Mallozzi
Most were not. Out of that particular group, 3, maybe 4 (certainly less than half) would get back to me to discuss. The rest would either pretend it never happened or (ideally) never contact me again. 16/
— Joseph Mallozzi
Today’s Yes/No…
Whey-based Whiskey? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/lS74NyvX0m
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post May 9, 2023: Montreal Day #2! Blurbs and Reviews! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
May 8, 2023
May 8, 2023: Montreal!
I’m in Montreal for the next 9 days or so. Mom has sciatica so it’s my job to make sure she lays off the scissor kicks and focuses on taking it easy.
Then pass up on revenge, preferring instead to allow the killer of their Queen to face courtly justice.
2. Carl Grimes – An anti-climactic end that came out of nowhere and never impacted the story in any meaningful way. 2/
— Joseph Mallozzi
4. Zoe Barnes – Murdered in broad daylight, in public no less (!), just conveniently out of range of security cameras, by a public figure. And is quickly altogether forgotten. 4/4
— Joseph Mallozzi
What say you? Should I be surprised asking Stargate and Dark Matter fans?
Dearest Monica,
It is with heavy heart that I tweet to inform you my wife has capped my new female friendships at 12 per annum. Having already reached my max allotment for 2023, I've gone ahead and waitlisted you. Trust you are as patient as you are optimistic and cheerful. BD pic.twitter.com/Jlezmv40lD
— Joseph Mallozzi
I continue to expand my supervillain t-shirt collection…
Look at what arrived in the mail today.
My Advanced Idea Mechanics t-shirt!#AIM pic.twitter.com/zFUS2iqPOT
— Joseph Mallozzi
My 89-year-old mother’s strongest memories: her wedding, the birth of her children, that time she received a pair of second hand shoes at a gift exchange.
— Joseph Mallozzi
And, no, it was NOT a fond memory.
Today’s Yes/No…
Sandwich-flavored Chips? Yes/No
BLT, Buffalo- Chicken, Cuban!
Thanks to @jimbo_lawson for the tip
Lay's Made 3 New Sandwich-Flavored Chips for Summer https://t.co/RfPVlEhOxK via @foodandwine
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post May 8, 2023: Montreal! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
Joseph Mallozzi's Blog
- Joseph Mallozzi's profile
- 39 followers
