This is usually the time of year when comic fans like me are gearing up for the New York Comic Con. Around this time last year, I was making my final preparations. I got my costume ready, picked out the comics I wanted to get signed, and mapped out my plan to maximize my NYCC experience. It was a wonderful trip, to say the least.
Now, that seems so long ago. It might as well be another lifetime.
This week just feels so weird, not having New York Comic Con to look forward to. I know it was cancelled months ago, but it still hurts. It still just feels so wrong to be in the first week of October and not planning my trip to New York.
I don’t doubt that New York Comic Con will be back to its former glory at some point. It probably won’t be next year, but eventually, I will return in full costume, ready to enjoy the wonders that is NYCC. Right now, it just feels so distant. It sucks in ways I cannot put into words.
I’m sorry if it feels like I’m being negative on New Comic Book Day of all days, but I just had to get that off my chest. I’m glad to have a (digital) stack of new comics to enjoy. It does help take the sting out of not being able to go to New York this year. It just feels so bittersweet, remembering how excited I was at this time last year and how much fun I had.
I’ll try to be more upbeat next week. For now, here is my pull list and pick. To all those as upset as I am that there’s no New York Comic Con to go to this year, I feel your pain. Let’s lessen that burden as best we can and new comics is a damn good way to start.
It’s been a weird year for sports and for horrific reasons. Let’s not overlook that. This year has been horrific in general for reasons I hope I don’t have to belabor. However, it is possible for good things to come out of awful circumstances. That doesn’t make the circumstances any less awful, but a good thing is still a good thing.
For me, a lifelong football fan who builds his Sunday afternoons and Monday nights around watching football, it’s been plenty weird. Watching NFL games in front of empty stadiums has taken some getting used to. All that fake crowd noise isn’t the least bit convincing.
I think I speak for many of my fellow football fans when I say I loved this. I loved it in ways I cannot put into words without the aid of alcohol or spiked coffee.
Yes, I’m tired this morning from staying up so late.
Yes, it’s something that emerged from a bad situation.
Yes, it’s still awesome.
Two Monday Night Football games? A double-header that makes Monday’s less awful and Monday night’s more eventful? Yes, please! This is an objectively wonderful thing and I say let’s have more of it.
Sundays are great and because of NFL RedZone, football fans can plug themselves into every game for hours at a time. It’s wonderful and has made football such an engaging, day-long experience.
However, there are times in the season when there are as many as 9 or 10 games going at once at 1:00 p.m. in my time zone. Even with RedZone, it’s hard to keep up with. Some of those games deserve to be prime time games. Some of those teams would benefit from a little prime time exposure. I say this is the perfect way to do it.
Monday Night Football is already a ratings bonanza for everyone involved, regardless of how awful this year has been. Adding another game to that mix can only help add to the boon. I hope last night was a proving ground of sorts. There is room for two games on Monday night.
To the NFL, please use this as a sign. Turn this objectively terrible situation into something awesome. Football fans will thank you for years to come.
I know I don’t talk about baseball that much. Please don’t misconstrue that as me saying I don’t care for it. I love baseball as much as any guy who grew up playing catch with his dad in the back yard. Some of my fondest memories are of watching ball games with my dad and eating peanuts.
While I tend to get more excited about football, I still enjoy a beer and a ball game. However, there are some other reasons why I don’t get as excited about baseball as I do with football.
Some of that has to do with the duration of the season and how often it seems certain teams clinch their playoff spots weeks ahead of time. Most of it has to do with the playoff format, itself. That’s the one part of Major League Baseball that I’ve always had a problem with.
Compared to other sports, baseball has always been much more limited in terms of which teams make the playoffs and how those games are structured. For me, the playoffs never got exciting until the ALCS and the NLCS. That’s usually when the drama happens. The divisional rounds before it are just too forgettable.
This is what it looked like, just after the wild card rounds wrapped up.
Now, I know baseball is famous for having staunch traditionalists, but after following the wild card rounds, I have to say this.
The MLB should totally keep this format or, at the very least, keep most of it.
I love this new format. It really made the MLB playoffs feel exciting again. For once, I didn’t have to wait until the championship rounds to see some drama. As bad as 2020 has been for sports, this new tournament format might be the best thing that came out of it.
This new setup gives struggling teams a reason to keep playing in the regular season, even when they get into a skid. With this expanded format, there are more spots to fight for. The dominant teams will still get their spot, but now there are new opportunities for teams to sneak in and make an impact.
In baseball, that’s a big deal. I’ve been watching baseball long enough to know that any team can get hot at just the right time. Last year was a perfect example of it. The 2019 Washington Nationals are a perfect example of this. They had to get into the playoffs as a wild card team and go through heavyweights like the Dodgers en route to their first World Series title.
It can happen in baseball. Great teams can just have a bad day at the park or several. A wild card team can get hot and take that momentum to a championship. The Nationals sent a message to every team in the wild card round this year that it can happen to them, too.
Beyond the opportunity, it’s just more exciting. I know last year had a single-game elimination wild card, but I found that to be somewhat underwhelming. Like I said, any team can have a bad day at the ball park. Sometimes, quality teams just falter on a particular day. That sometimes means the lucky team wins instead of the better team.
I think a three-game playoff series fits perfectly. It helps ensure a team can win or lose on a single fluke. It also gives a team that falters in one game to make up for it the next. It’s a better way of determining who’s the better team in the long run.
Like the NCAA basketball tournament, more teams means more opportunities for a team to go on a historic run or land a historic upset. In a league that is legendary for having top-heavy teams who try to buy their way into a World Series, this can only help the sport.
Now, I know 2020 is a crazy year that has done lasting damage to the sports world. I don’t doubt that professional leagues are eager to go back to the way things were before the pandemic ruined so much.
However, I sincerely hope that Major League Baseball retains this new format for the postseason. I think it’ll do a lot of good for baseball and the sports world, in general. I know there are some logistical issues and I’m sure the players union will want to get their say. I believe there’s a way to do it and ensure everyone benefits.
I know talking about the weather is so mundane, but in a year as awful as 2020, I think it’s oddly refreshing. Now, I’m not going to just wax poetic about how nice it is to go out on a sunny day, spend some time with friends, and have some fun with your lover, if you’re lucky enough to have one. That’s all well and good. For me, however, I’ve always found rainy days more relaxing.
I think it runs in my family. One of my father’s favorite things to do in the spring and summer was just sit out on the porch, drink a cold beer, and watch the rain fall. He said it relaxed him. I must have inherited that sentiment because it relaxes me too. In fact, I’ve come to appreciate the relaxing calm of a rainy morning. It just makes everything feel more peaceful.
When I had a girlfriend, it often inspired me to get a little more affectionate and playful. When you’re relaxed and content, you’re bound to let your sexy side show. That means when it’s rainy and dreary on any given morning, you can expect me to get extra romantic. On the off chance my future wife is reading this somewhere, I hope that gives her something to look forward to.
Now that the weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, a rainy day is bound to take on a different context. So long as that context involves cuddling up in a bed to stay warm, I’m all for it. Whether you find the weather sexy or not, here are some Sexy Sunday Thoughts to get the right currents flowing inside you. Enjoy!
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but an orgasm a day keeps divorce lawyers unpaid.”
“Being honest in a relationship often means being blunt during sex.”
“To some extent, sexting depends on some people being susceptible to pop-up ads.”
“Being in love means not caring where your lover’s fingers and tongue have been.”
“Slut shaming is just an indirect form of orgasm envy.”
“Friends don’t let friends with benefits neglect said benefits.”
“Relationship drama often boils down to disagreeing on how to share your genitals.”
In a year so full of objectively awful news, a tiny bit of good news goes a long way. When that news involves superhero comics and upcoming TV shows, it goes even further with me. On that front, such news has been few and far between. This year has been fraught with major delays and cancelled conventions. Fans like me need some good, exciting news for once. We’re due.
Then, this past week, we got it. It’s been in the works for a while now, but now it’s getting real. One of the big Marvel Studios Disney Plus shows that has been in development, “Ms. Marvel,” officially found their Kamala Khan in Iman Vellani. As an unapologetic Ms. Marvel fan who has sung her praises before, this is just the news I needed.
Deadline reported it. Many others in Hollywood circles praised it. Fans like me were just elated that Kamala Khan is set to enter the MCU.
After a long and hard search, Marvel has found its Ms. Marvel. The studio is tapping newcomer Iman Vellani to star in its Disney Plus series based on the comic-book character. Marvel and the streamer recently named Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon as directors on the project.
Now, there’s a lot I want to say about this news, this casting, and the prospects for this show. I’ve already touched on some of that before and I have every intention of highlighting even more as the show develops. Ms. Marvel is very near and dear to me as a character. I’ll be among those cheering the loudest for her and for Ms. Vellani to succeed.
Before I get to any of that, though, I want to offer a special message to Ms. Vellani. I doubt she’ll ever read it. I’m sure she’ll hear from plenty of other voices far more prominent and insightful than mine. I still want to put this message out there because I think it’s worth saying.
Dear Ms. Vellani,
First off, congratulations! You just earned yourself the role of a lifetime with an incredible character. On behalf of many other Ms. Marvel fans, I wish you the best. We’ll all be cheering you on as you bring Kamala Khan to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It will be challenging. Anything worth doing is. I believe you’re up for it. I also don’t doubt that you’ll face obstacles, some of which have nothing to do with your acting abilities or your love for the character.
The world of superhero media is an amazing place. Both on and off the screen, there a lot to take in. Chances are, it will be overwhelming at time, but once the fans embrace you, they’ll be your greatest ally. It’s what helped Ms. Marvel become such a prominent, beloved character. That’ll help you achieve success on a level that will do justice to her legacy.
Now, there are parts of that world that are less pleasant. As in any genre, there are critics and trolls who will try to tear you down. They’ll attack you, just as they’ve done to the likes of Brie Larson, Daisy Ridley, and Kelly Marie Tran. Do not let them get you down. Do not let them stop you from being the best Ms. Marvel you can possibly be.
Also know that Kamala herself has attracted plenty of trolls. Some of the ugliest elements of superhero fandom have been denigrating Ms. Marvel since the day she debuted. Some go so far as to attack her creators. These people are no different than the villains Ms. Marvel fights. They do not deserve an ounce of your attention.
The love people have for this character is many times greater than those who go out of their way to hate her. That love is what makes Ms. Marvel special. We hope you feel that love as you don that now-iconic costume. May it carry you through the challenges that await and may it enrich your world, just as Ms. Marvel has enriched ours.
The following is a video for my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. It’s an effort on my part to argue that “Terminator Genysis” was a better movie than people remember. I know many may not agree. I’m willing to take that chance. Enjoy!
There’s a good chance that you’ve encountered someone who has a very strange kink. It’s probably not illegal, disgusting, or damaging. It’s just something that would make most people cringe if said out loud with a straight face. I won’t speculate on what that kink might be. I’ll just trust in the lurid imaginations of anyone reading this article to fill in the blanks.
With that in mind, I’d like to add another detail to that concept. Say you know this person’s kink. It rightly disgusts you. You believe it could be harmful to both the person and whoever they’re doing it with. However, you also know that they’ve never acted on this kink with anyone. On top of that, you know they’ll never act on it. Would you still trust them?
I know that last part is a bit of a stretch. We can never truly predict how anyone will act in the future. They could be the most disciplined person who ever lived, exercising restraint every day of their lives for years on end. They would only have to have one lapse to undermine others’ trust in them.
That’s why I’m framing it as a thought experiment. This is the sort of thing that just has no analog in the real world. It’s still important to contemplate because it can provide insights into who we are, who we trust, and how we conduct ourselves as a society.
Now, I want to throw sex robots into the mix. I promise there’s a legitimate point to that. This isn’t me speculating about the future of sex robots and other technology that’ll likely impact our sex lives. In fact, for this thought experiment to work, I’ll have to push the concept of sex robots to an extreme that is probably beyond any technology we’ll see in our lifetimes.
That’s because it requires that we envision the concept of a “perfect” sex robots. Now, I put “perfect” in quotes because perfection is subjective, especially when it comes to complex issues like human sexuality. It’s just a useful way to envision a form of sexual expression that goes beyond just sex with robots.
For the sake of the thought experiment, here’s a quick definition of what constitutes a “perfect” sex robot.
The robot is of a humanoid form and composed of universally malleable matter. It can effectively shape-shift into anyone, taking on any appearance the user desires, including that of celebrities, fictional characters, or private citizens. The robot can also take on inhuman forms. It can have fully functional sex organs of any gender or entirely new genders.
It also has an artificial intelligence that allows it to perfectly mimic any identity, role, or personality the user wishes. There are no restrictions or taboos. The robot is completely obedient, cannot be harmed, and never suffers.
In essence, the perfect robot is like Mystique from the X-Men combined with Rosie from “The Jetsons.” It can look any way a user wants. It does anything the user wants. It’s basically the ultimate sexual outlet. It doesn’t matter how tame or perverse your kink is. This robot will act it out with you whenever you want.
Why does that matter?
Well, it matters because horrible sex crimes and abuse still happen. As disgusting as it is to acknowledge, people do horrific things to other human beings to obtain sexual gratification. While most people aren’t like that, those deviant individuals still exist. These twisted desires still exist. There are those who don’t act on them, but if the desire is there, it’s still worthy of concern.
I think it’s relevant, given how much concerns over sexual assault and sexual abuse have become in recent years. On top of those concerns, there are other taboos and cultural attitudes that have been skewing our collective sexuality for centuries. From organized religion to sexy video game characters, there are many forces influencing our desires.
That brings me back to the essence of this thought experiment. This is where we have to both use our imaginations and speculate on how we conduct ourselves in a society.
Imagine that this perfect sex robot exist.
Now, imagine that everyone has one or several as soon as they reach an age at which they can consent to sex.
Everyone can carry out whatever depraved sex act they wish with this perfect sex robot, even if it’s illegal.
It doesn’t matter what their income is, where they live, or what their background is. Everyone has access to this perfect sex robot.
People can still form relationships with real people. They can still have children and raise families, like they always do.
What would change in this scenario? How would everyone conduct themselves in a world where they always had an outlet for whatever sexual desires they wanted? From decadent billionaires to working class people, they can all live out whatever fantasy they want with whoever they want.
Take it a step further. Imagine you met someone whose predilections you knew. Maybe they share it with you or you find out. Whatever it is, you find it abhorrent. You believe that, if they did this with anyone other than a sex robot, they’d be guilty of a horrific crime. However, they’ve never done it with anyone other than the robot and never would. Would you still associate with that person?
Even if you had a guarantee that nobody ever acted out their perverse desires on anyone other than a sex robot, would you still be comfortable around that person? Hell, flip the roles. Imagine you told someone about your kinks and they found it horrifying. How would you feel if they resented you, even if you never acted on them with real people and never would?
Keep following the possibilities.
Imagine someone uses their perfect sex robot to sleep with your spouse, parent, sibling, or child.
Imagine someone who claims to be heterosexual, but engages in homosexual acts with their sex robot.
Imagine someone who is never abusive with anyone, but horrifically abuses their sex robot.
I’ll stop short of adding more layers to this experiment. I think I’ve gotten my point across. For now, I encourage everyone to contemplate this. Think about how you would conduct yourself around people in this scenario. Think about what it would mean for society, as a whole.
There are no wrong answers, but the possibilities are as profound as they are kinky.
I approach every New Comic Book Day the same way Forest Gump approaches a box of chocolates. You may never know what you’re gonna get with a box of chocolates, but you usually have a partial idea with comics. However, that does leave some room for novelty and exploration.
For as long as I’ve been into comics, I’ve had a simple rule. I have books that I’m subscribed to. I’ll always buy them the day they come out. They’re usually just standard X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Avengers titles. These are like big budget blockbuster movies. You know what you’re getting with them and it’s usually awesome.
At the same time, I always try to leave some room for new, different, or otherwise unknown titles. That’s how I discover underrated gems or new characters that I become fond of. Even when my comics budget is tight, I try to leave enough money for just one of those books.
It’s because of this rule that I found Ms. Marvel.
It’s because of this rule that I rediscovered the Power Rangers comics.
If you’re into comics on any level, I highly recommend you adopt this rule. Your budget may vary. You can still work with that. You may have to be patient and wait for some other books to come out in trades, but use every week as an opportunity to find a new flavor of chocolate.
You’ll be amazed at some of the gems you find. You may find yourself becoming a fan of something you don’t expect. It’s a beautiful thing and this is as good a week as any to start. Here’s my pull list and pick to help get you started. Enjoy!
Sometimes, you need to do something that expands, twists, or utterly obliterates your perspective. I’ve come to value that more and more as the years go on. When I was young, I had a tendency to get neurotic and obsessive about insanely trivial things.
I’m not just talking about my grades, what clothes I buy, or how I take my coffee. I was so uptight, at times, that I got upset when the school bus was late. I thought not being on time to anything was the end of the goddamn world. From my perspective, it was because I only ever saw things in a narrow, regimented context.
As I got older, that changed. I saw that the world was much bigger than my 10th grade mid-term. The universe was also bigger. Seeing yourself as just a small part of something that’s unbelievably big in a very literal sense changes many things, your perspective being the first.
It can jarring, but humbling. It’s not easy to accept just how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things, but it also reminds you that your significance is still yours to define. It’s just a matter of seeing the forest while tending to your own particular trees.
To that end, I’d like to share a video that shook my perspective to a point where my head hurt, albeit in the best possible way. It’s an old video, but a good one. It’s a simple, 11-minute demonstration that helps people understand a 10-dimensional universe.
Now, this isn’t some sci-fi technobabble from a comic book, nor is it some sort of wild speculation from someone who ingested too much LSD. The idea that we live in a 10-dimensional universe is an actual scientific field of study. Specifically, it’s a theoretical model that attempts to to reconcile the standard model of particle physics with the existence of gravity.
I’m not a physicist, but you don’t need to be one in order to appreciate the concept. Watch the video. See for yourself what it means to live in a 10-dimensional universe. See what it does to your perspective on everything. You might be surprised by it.
Is your brain still intact? If not, take all the time you need. Hopefully, this has tweaked your perspective in all the right ways.
There are certain basic, inherently decent truths in this world. Most reasonable people understand them to some extent. We don’t need to be persuaded of their merits.
Being a selfish asshole is a bad thing.
Lying, cheating, and stealing is a bad thing.
Compliments and kind words help us and others like us.
Not everything you see on the internet is true.
These are just a few. I hope they’re not controversial. I like to think I have enough life experiences to make these statements with some credibility. Ideally, we don’t need to remind each other of these simple truths. They should be a given for anyone with a functioning brain.
Unfortunately, we live in an exceedingly imperfect world and years like 2020 only intensify those imperfections.
So, in that frustrating spirit, I’d like to make a quick public service announcement that I hope will function as a simple reminder. Please note I’m not referring to one particular person or a single group. I’m addressing as many people as possible. If you can, please forward this along because this needs to be said, reinforced, and belabored.
Someone disagreeing with you is not a violent act against you, nor should it be construed as one.
I know. That sounds like common sense. It is, for the most part. Most of us learn in grade school that someone disagreeing with you is not a big deal. You don’t have to like it. You may feel angry about it, but it’s hardly damaging. We live in a diverse society with diverse people. You’re going to encounter people who don’t think or believe like you do.
That’s fine.
That’s life.
However, lately it feels like the mere act of disagreeing with someone is somehow construed as this aggressive, violent political statement. Just telling someone you don’t agree with their politics or voted differently in the last election is no longer a simple point of disagreement. It’s an outright affront.
I see it in social media, comments sections, and in person debates. It gets incredibly ugly and it escalates way too fast. It often goes like this.
Person A: I voted for this candidate/hold this position/support this effort.
Person B: Really? I voted for the other candidate/position/effort.
Person A: You horrible piece of fucking shit! You’re ruining this country and this world! I hate your fucking guts and everything you stand for! You should fucking die a horrible death!
I wish I could say that was hyperbole. I really wish I could. Sadly, that’s a painfully accurate paraphrasing of the rhetoric I see whenever people start arguing. Whether it’s about politics, pop culture, video games, or which fictional characters they like, it gets so ugly, so fast that it’s disturbing.
It’s not treated as a difference of opinion. Some treat simple, differing opinions as a series of kidney punches delivered by Ivan Drago. It’s a gross, irrational, unbalanced response to the mere act of holding an opinion. If you don’t believe me, just try making these comments on any social platform.
I enjoyed Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
I support professional athletes protesting police injustice during the national anthem.
Brie Larson is a great actress.
There should be more diversity in certain franchises.
These are innocuous opinions. They don’t physically harm anyone. They reveal only a tiny sliver of who someone actually is. However, the mere utterance of these opinions is often a trigger for the most vile, hateful, rage-fueled reactions you can imagine.
That’s not just wrong.
That’s not just misguided, either.
It’s fucking stupid.
There’s no other way to describe it. These reactions are not the least bit warranted. Someone disagreeing with you is not an act of violence. It’s just not. Treating it as such is absurd, not to mention regressive.
Nobody, I don’t care who you are, is ever going to live in a world where everyone agrees with them. Humans just aren’t wired like that. Getting so upset about it is not a productive use of our time, energy, and passions.
I realize this will likely fall in deaf ears for some, but I hope others will take a step back and reassess how they react to someone voicing an opposing opinion. This world is messy enough. Let’s not make it worse by fighting each other for petty, unwarranted reasons.
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