The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is my personal exploration and celebration of Laura “X-23” Kinney, a character who became an icon in the X-Men comics, and later the Logan movie. But it was one fateful episode of X-Men: Evolution that began her journey. And to this date, this episode a testament to what makes this character so special.
X-Men Evolution: X-23 | How An Uncanny Star Was Born
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, superhero comics, superhero movies, X-men, YouTube
The Human Population Has Reached 8 Billion: Thoughts, Feelings, Hopes, And (Dirty) Jokes
Recently, the human race achieved a major milestone.
According to the United Nations, the human population of this planet exceeded 8 billion for the first time.
It became official on November 15, 2022. That’s not to say the measure was precise. We are talking about global population here on a chaotic world. The best we can ever do is reasonable, educated guesses. And using that standard and the limited tools available to us, we can confidently determine that we’ve crossed that special 8 billion threshold.
We’ll probably never know who was the 8 billionth human.
We’ll probably never know where they were born, what their circumstances were, or whether they were aware of their importance.
But whoever they are, they got us to that milestone and beyond. What it means for us, as a species, is hard to quantify, even for exceptionally smart people. I don’t consider myself exceptionally smart, but I’m still going to try.
Now, it’s easy for the cynical crowd to see this milestone and say to themselves, “Just what we need. More humans on this overpopulated planet to suck more dwindling resources.” Believe me, I get that mentality. I’ve certainly shared my own growing cynicism from time to time. I think it’s largely a byproduct of getting older and being more aware of just how complicated and messy people can be.
However, as cynical as I often feel at times, I have not completely abandoned hope for humanity or our collective future. I’ve come close a few times. The events of 2020 certainly tested me. But for the moment, that hope is still intact and I think this milestone offers perspective, as well as encouragement.
For one, it definitively shows that, as bad as the COVID-19 pandemic has been these past two years, it hasn’t been apocalyptic. It did disrupt our society, our world, and our lives. But it didn’t send our entire population into a death spiral in the same mold as the plagues of the past. In another time and another era, it might have really hit our species harder, so much so that we might be in far greater danger.
But we endured. We adapted, innovated, and survived. While there are still some who insist on dragging their feet with respect to progress and modern medicine, that hasn’t completely dragged down the whole of humanity. More than anything else, it reveals just how complicated, erratic, and diverse we can be.
It’s easy to focus on the worst of humanity and get lost in the horror. I know I have. Anyone who has picked up a history book probably feels that way, too. But that just makes this milestone all the more impressive. The fact that we’ve lasted as long as we have on this planet and grown our population to this level definitely counts as an accomplishment.
On top of that, much of that growth is actually quite recent. The human species, in their most modern form, is only about 200,000 years old. And for much of that history, our population never exceeded more than a few hundred million. We didn’t cross the billion threshold until around 1800. Just 200 years later, we’ve increased that eightfold. Numerically speaking, that’s incredible growth.
If that weren’t impressive enough, consider one other factor. For the vast majority of human history, women endured the rigors of pregnancy and childbirth without the aid of modern pain killers and medicine. That’s right. We were humping and birthing millions of humans in dirty, unsanitary conditions for centuries on end. If you’re a woman who has given birth, take a moment to think about how our ancestors endured. Also take a moment to consider how many women and children died because of those challenges.
It says a lot about humanity, especially women, that we made it to this point. You need only look at some of the natural disasters this planet is capable of to appreciate what we’ve been up against during our reign on this planet. We managed to survive, thrive, and birth our way towards 8 billion people through it all.
And if you’ve got an exceptionally dirty mind, it might also belabor just how horny the human species can be. Now, I’ll try not to get too explicit.
If I had a truly dirty mind, I could joke about how the orgasm has single-handedly endured the survival of our species.
I could joke about how great sex has to be for women to endure the rigors of pregnancy and childbirth before the advent of modern medicine.
I could joke about how nature’s wrath and constant disasters hasn’t kept people from getting horny, hooking up, and birthing more equally horny humans.
I could even joke about just how much sex we, as a species, had to have in order to get to 8 billion people.
But I’m not going to. I have as dirty mind as any straight guy who writes sexy stories, but not that dirty. Instead, I’d like to offer one simple message to this mass of humanity that we’ve created.
Congratulations!
We made it. We’ve succeeded on a planet on which 99 percent of all the species that have ever existed are now extinct. We may not have been on this planet for very long, relatively speaking. But we’ve certainly left our mark, literally and figuratively.
We’ve achieved great things.
We’ve done things no species has ever done before.
We’ve literally made islands within the sea, traveled into space, and reshaped entire landscapes to our whim.
Yes, we have been irresponsible and reckless, at times.
And yes, we still have much to learn. Being a fairly young species, we’re still maturing. We’re still charting our own path. We will encounter more obstacles. We’ll also endure plenty of setbacks, some of which will leave future generations distraught and distressed.
But we are still in position to achieve so much more. We may very well be capable of succeeding in ways no previous species on this planet has ever succeeded. We may take control of our own evolution, transcend the limits of biology, and build greater wonders than we can possibly imagine.
Those reading this may not live to see it, but you will still have played a role in helping this vast species we call humanity succeed. That’s something to be proud of. But it should also grant us perspective.
We are still very vulnerable to so many dangers, some of which we create ourselves and some of which are inherent to the universe we live in. But let’s not shy away from these dangers or the challenges they bring. Let’s also not dwell incessantly on the morbid past, but let’s not forget it either.
Every individual is so complex in their own sense of being. Add 8 billion of those individuals to the mix and the complexities become exponentially greater.
But through it all, we’re still here. We still made it this far.
There’s so much more ahead of us. Let’s make our way towards it. While one human alone can only ever achieve so much. The possibilities for 8 billion humans and counting promises to be so much greater.
Filed under Current Events, health, history
I’m Officially On Twitch!
Every now and then, I feel compelled to try something new in hopes that it’ll become a new passion or at least help me connect with other like-minded people. For much of my early life, right up until I was in my mid-20s, I was generally reluctant. I spent a good chunk of my life dealing with crippling anxiety, shyness, and sub-par social skills. I like to think I’ve gotten better. But when it comes to trying new things, I’m still behind the curve compared to most.
So, when I do attempt something new, it’s noteworthy and exciting. For the most part, those attempts have been successful. I consider this site and my YouTube channel a success in that regard. Now, I’m hoping to add a new endeavor to the mix.
To that end, I’d like to officially announce that I’ve joined Twitch. I now have my own channel and I just recently began streaming on it.
https://www.twitch.tv/marvelmaster6616
Now, I’ve been aware of Twitch for quite some time. Some of my friends regularly use it. But for the most part, I didn’t really get into it. I just know that whenever I explain Twitch to older people, their reactions are often funny.
I tell them that it’s largely a channel where people stream themselves playing video games and other people join in to watch. When they ask why anyone would want to do that, I often counter with why anyone would want to watch other people play sports. I also point out that a lot of people my age have fond memories of getting together with friends, hanging out, and watching one another play our favorite video games.
I’m one of them. I can’t count how many hours I spent with my friends just watching them play games like Goldeneye or Mario Kart.
Twitch is just a bigger manifestation of that. And recently, I’ve caught up with some old friends of mine who are now active on Twitch. That inspired me to start a channel of my own. I’ve already made a number of YouTube videos showing me playing games like Marvel Strike Force and Cyberpunk 2077. This is just me expanding on that.
Like my YouTube channel, I don’t expect to get a lot of followers at first. But I’ve already found that it’s a fun way to interact with people and to share some personal thoughts here and there. In my first few streams, I even dropped some hints about upcoming YouTube videos. So, if you ever want to interact with me directly, this is another way to do it.
I also hope that, when I get a Playstation 5, it’ll be easier to use Twitch to share my gameplay. That could be another way to interact with friends and build an audience. Time will tell. But I just wanted to announce this for anyone interested in a different kind of interaction.
Reagan Ridley: How To Craft A Damaged Character (The Right Way)
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is a deeper exploration into the character of Reagan Ridley from the Netflix animated series, Inside Job. She’s a very flawed character and a very damaged character, as well. A great many of those characters have come about in recent years.
However, what makes Reagan stand out is how her flaws and damage are channeled into her story. And it’s a story worth highlighting and appreciating.
Filed under Jack's World, television, YouTube
A Note/Warning To Aspiring Writers: Avoid Vanity Press Scams
For years now, I’ve been an aspiring writer. I’ve self-published multiple books, which I go out of my way to promote. I’ve also been published by a couple of small-time publishers, which I also go out of my way to promote.
I know it’s an uphill battle. I’m also aware that very few writers ever achieve mainstream success. For every George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, and Stephanie Meyer, there are thousands of writers toiling away, working on amazing manuscripts that’ll never see the light of day. Most of the time, writers on my level are content to get whatever exposure we can and whatever minor bit of money comes with it, which is usually very small.
It’s a sad fact of life for aspiring writers. Most will never get published by a mainstream publishing house and few will ever be able to make a comfortable living.
That’s not to discourage anyone from writing. Most people, like myself, genuinely enjoy writing novels, short stories, and anything else that comes to mind. It’s both a hobby and a passion. Even if we can’t ever turn it into a career, it’s something we love to do.
To those same people, as well as those who dream of that rare success so few achieve, I have an important message. It’s not meant to encourage or discourage you from pursuing that dream. You should totally keep working for it. That’s advice most aspiring writers don’t need.
This is different.
This is also important because it might cost you more than a manuscript you worked hard on.
And it boils down to this.
Do NOT fall for Vanity Press scams who claim they can help you sell your book. They’ll just take your money, your book, and whatever else they can get away with.
Now, I’m not just offering this advice on a whim. I promise there’s a good reason why I’m bringing this up in hopes that other aspiring writers will see it.
For the past couple years now, I’ve been getting a number of unsolicited calls from people claiming to work for real publishers. They’re not your typical robocall or phone scams. These are real flesh-and-blood people who usually don’t read from a script. They even leave voicemails that sounds like something a real human would leave.
But don’t be fooled by the human element. These people are working for the least scrupulous part of the publishing industry. They’re what’s called a Vanity Press scam. In short, it’s a type of grift that attempts to get an author to sign the rights over for a book they’ve written while also paying the vanity press for marking services.
On the surface, it sounds like a good deal. You give them your book and some money. They in turn market your book to a wider audience. It sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
There’s just one glaring problem.
They don’t really market your book. They just take your book, your money, and leave you with pretty much nothing. They rely on authors who don’t know much about the publishing industry and would prefer to have someone else market their book. It’s shady and exploitative as hell, but it sadly works way more often than it should.
I’ve been dealing with several of these scams for the past couple years now. They keep calling me, asking about one of my self-published books, usually “The Escort and the Gigolo” or “Skin Deep,” and claim they can help me market the book. They’ll even claim they came across the book and it met their criteria for a book with serious sales potential. All I have to do is give them money and publishing rights to realize it.
That’s a lie.
If a legitimate publisher really believes your book has major sales potential, they pay you in the form of an advance. To them, it’s an investment. But a vanity press scam is nothing of the sort. It’s just looking to get you to fork over money to do marketing that’ll never actually manifest. They may claim they have a robust marketing team. They’ll even claim they can get you into major bookstores. Some will go so far as to claim they can get your book noticed by Hollywood producers.
Again, that’s a lie.
It’s little more than excess flattery to convince you to give them your money. Don’t fall for it. They aren’t going to help you sell more books. You may even lose the rights to your own work if you sign one of their contracts. That might end up costing you more down the line and not just in terms of money.
Now, that’s not to say all vanity press publishing is a scam. There are legitimate vanity press publishing companies who essentially help writers self-publish their books in exchange for a fee. The key, though, is that you seek them out and not the other way around. Vanity Publishing is largely the domain of self-published authors who already have an audience or are unfamiliar with how to self-publish across multiple platforms.
There is a place for that kind of service in the publishing industry. But if someone from a publisher calls you and is asking for money in exchange for your book, chances are they’re not representing a real vanity press. They’re just scammers trying to get you to pay them money to make bold promises they have no intention of filling.
In the past two months, I’ve received voicemails from two “publishers.” A quick Google search is usually all it takes to find out that these people are not representing legitimate publishing companies. I usually don’t respond to them. But when I do, I make it a point to ask them if they’re going to charge me for marketing or promotional services. If they say yes or refuse to answer clearly, I hang up and you should too.
I hope this helps any other aspiring writers out there. I urge every one of you to keep writing and keep fighting to get your book out there. Just make sure to avoid vanity press scams. They don’t care about helping you succeed. They just want to take your money, your book, and all the work that went into it.
Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, writing
Happy Veterans Day 2022!
Today is Veteran’s Day.
For some, it’s just another federal holiday that may or may not afford them a day off.
For others, it’s a bittersweet day to remember those who are serving in the military, as well those who have served. It’s also a day in which we take the time to acknowledge and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service.
These brave men and women are worth honoring. And if you have any veterans or active military in your family or community, please use this day to show them some appreciation. Whether it involves donating to a military charity, volunteering to help wounded veterans, or just being extra kind to those you know who have served, there’s plenty you can do to support these people.
It takes a special kind of person to serve their country. Even those who are willing aren’t always able. And those who are able aren’t always willing. What they do and why they do it requires a rare set of traits that only a handful can willingly channel. These same remarkable individuals are the ones we trust to defend our country, our values, and our way of life. Throughout our history, we’ve called upon them and they’ve answered. We can argue the merits and politics behind these conflicts. But we should never doubt the bravery and spirit that our veterans wield in carrying out their duty.
I also think that Veteran’s Day this year holds even more significance than usual. The world has become a much more dangerous place these past two years. Between the threats coming from reactionary forces within this country and emerging threats overseas, there are still conflicts for which we may need to rely on these rare souls. Hopefully, it never comes to that. Talk to anyone who has ever experienced combat.
Nobody hates wars more than soldiers.
Sometimes, it’s necessary and unavoidable. We still don’t know just how dangerous things will get in the near or far future. Whatever happens, we will need these brave men and women to answer the call as they’ve done before throughout history. It’ll be hard then, but that’s all the more reason to support them now.
I have close family members who have served. I also have relatives and ancestors who did see combat. There’s no getting around how it affected them. They needed more support than most when returning. Some are lucky enough to have family, friends, and various mechanisms of support. But not everyone is that lucky. They’re the ones who need today more than most.
Our nation is what it is because of the veterans who fought to defend and preserve it.
So, whatever you do to honor them, please make today special for them.
Happy Veterans Day!
Filed under Current Events
It’s Election Day, America. Now Vote!
My fellow Americans, it’s finally here.
I’m as sick of all the campaign ads as you are, but it’s here.
Election Day 2022 is upon us.
Now, I know I’ve been very pessimistic and cynical lately. And I stand by all of that. I still believe that today will mark the last true democratic election the United States will ever have. After today, it’s just a slow and steady descent into Christian Nationalism. Given some of the things I’ve said about organized religion in the past, I fully expect to “suffer a tragic accident” at some point later in my life.
We’re all screwed is what I’m saying.
But that’s all the more reason to cherish this last Election Day. This will be the last time I’ll be able to vote in something meaningful for the country I love. I’m really not looking forward to a bunch of right-wing reactionaries turning this Country into a Fox New fever dream until the world ends. But, as a country and an idea, I think America has had a good run.
Historically, most democracies don’t last for very long. And America has lasted a lot longer than most. I think that still counts as a win in the grand scheme of things. This country succeeded on a level I think few ever expected. There’s a lot to be proud of in that regard. But all good things must come to an end. And today is the beginning of that end.
So please take the time to enjoy it.
Get out there and vote.
Thank you, America. I’ll miss you.
Filed under Current Events
Combating Hate And Politics With Kindness (With Lessons From Mr. Rogers)
We live in a strange time.
I know you could say that about many other periods in history. Even within my own lifetime, I’ve experienced periods that are well beyond the scope of what we think of as normal. The recent upheavals with the COVID-19 pandemic certainly qualify.
But as overwhelming as that was, I still find today’s current state of affairs both unusual and striking. It’s not just that things are changing so fast and we’re all struggling to keep up. That has been a constant for much of the modern world. It’s more that people seemed so overwhelmed, so upset, and so frustrated that they’re forgetting the most basic elements of getting along with fellow human beings.
It’s true. People have always been mean, hateful, and downright cruel to one another. You don’t have to look far into the recent or distant past to see humans committing egregious atrocities on other humans. And I certainly don’t deny there have been worse times in that regard. If you’re alive today, you should consider yourself somewhat lucky. It wasn’t that long ago that such atrocities were both disturbingly common and largely unpunished.
But even with that perspective in mind, I feel like our collective capacity to hate one another has escalated considerably. You could blame politics, going back to the 2016 Presidential Election or even the 2008 Presidential Election. You could also blame the media, pop culture, social trends, religion, and everything in between. I know I’ve criticized those things plenty and will likely continue to do so in the future.
At the end of the day, though, I understand there’s only so much you can do to influence another person. Whether it’s on politics, personal tastes, or personality quirks, we’re all still individuals. We still have our own thoughts, feelings, and biases. That has always been the case. But I can’t recall a time when those elements we all share have been the fuel for so much outright hatred.
It’s easy to notice online, but it’s happening more and more in real life. Real people are committing real acts of violence and hatred towards other people for the simple crime of not agreeing with them on something, be it politics, ideology, or pop culture. It’s getting to a point where the disagreements don’t even have to be about something big like politics or religion. Just being different and existing is now sufficient to invite someone’s hatred.
That is not a tenable state of affairs.
That is not good for individuals, people, or the world in general.
You can blame the internet and political polarization all you want on this, but that only goes so far. At the end of the day, it’s people who still act. It’s people who still speak and send messages through various mediums, be it mundane or hateful. The tools we use don’t create the hate. They may reinforce and spread it. But like it or not, we are the ones that create it. We are the ones that use it as excuses for violence and hate.
I don’t deny that I’ve said dumb things on the internet. I’ve expressed hateful sentiments, both in real life and online. I’m only human and I do regret it. But I also try to counter those inclinations with something stronger. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that doing so is not that difficult. It doesn’t even require some kind of radical rethinking of your current thoughts, beliefs, or biases.
It all comes down to a simple approach.
Be kind.
That’s it. That’s really all you need to counter so much of the hate and mistrust that seems to infect our world at every turn. It may sound simplistic or cliched, but make no mistake. There’s real power in kindness. Most people understand that on some levels. But one man, in particular, dedicated his life to understanding it. You’ve probably heard of him. His name is Fred Rogers, better known to generations of kids as Mr. Rogers from “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.”
Now, there’s a lot I could say about him and his message. There are no shortage of stories about him that are so heartwarming, they help renew your faith in humanity. But in the spirit of keeping things simple, I’ll just share this clip that I think best explains the true power of kindness.
Please take Mr. Rogers’ message of kindness to heart. In a world as divided as ours, a little kindness goes a long way.
Filed under Current Events, human nature, Jack Fisher's Insights
Justice League Gods and Monster: An Underrated Animated Gem (And Why DC Comics Should Revisit It)
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video revisits DC’s underrated 2015 animated movie, Justice League: Gods and Monsters. It was a bold movie that dared to retell and revamp the stories of its most iconic heroes, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Both the movie and the comic book tie-ins proved unique in so many ways. And while not much else came from this world, I try to make the case that it’s worth revisiting. Enjoy!
The Dragon Prince Season 4 Comes Out TODAY!
Normally, I don’t go out of my way to highlight certain premiers or debuts of a TV show or movie. Yes, I’ve done so in the past. I allow myself to get a little giddy when I’m genuinely excited for a show. My reaction to the news surrounding X-Men 97 should’ve been proof of that. But in general, I try not to make it a regular thing, taking the time to articulate those sentiments on this site or my YouTube channel. If I do, it has to be an extraordinarily great show or movie that gets me seriously excited.
As it just so happens, “The Dragon Prince” is one of those shows.
I hope I’ve made my love for that show abundantly clear. Even though I didn’t discover it until 2019 when the third season came out, it has quickly become one of my favorite shows, animated or otherwise. It’s not just that it’s a wonderfully well-crafted show, born from the same creative talent that gave us “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” It’s not just that the show has built some truly incredible lore, building an entire fantasy world full of dragons, elves, dark mages, and talking toads.
The show is just uniquely special in how endearing it is, building up all these dramatic elements that really came together by the end of the third season. It’s the kind of show that feels like a kids show in the beginning. But it quickly grows into something so much more, hitting you with all these dramatic moments that are so well-developed from start to finish.
When season three ended, I genuinely thought the show was over. There was no confirmation it would continue after that. Then, a fourth season was announced, but it was all up in the air after all the upheavals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. I genuinely doubted that a fourth season would ever come, given the lack of news surrounding this series since 2020.
That was then.
This is now.
And today, after a long wait, season four of “The Dragon Prince” has arrived!
I cannot overstate how excited I am to binge this new season. There has been a lot of speculation among myself and fans regarding where the show will go after the third season. The ending to that season wasn’t definitive and certainly left open ended for more conflict. Now, it seems the show and this remarkable world is set to continue evolving.
The only thing we can confirm is that this new season involves a bit of a time skip, which makes sense given how the last season ended. We also know that a lot has changed in that time. Callum is now a high mage. Ezren is now King of Katolis. Rayla is missing, having gone off to hunt for Lord Viren, who survived their last encounter.
Then, there’s the mysterious Aaravos. He’s been a sinister force since season two and he clearly wasn’t defeated along with Viren. He’s now set to take center stage in this new season. And I couldn’t be more excited!
There’s just so much to love about this show. If you’re a fan of fantasy, animation, and cartoons that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, this show has something for everyone. And if you’re a big romance fan like me, then this show has a lot to offer in that regard too.
I’ve already highlighted the love story that unfolded between Callum and Rayla. But there are other quality romances within this show, including a few non-heterosexual romances among its incredibly diverse cast of characters. It’s hard enough finding a show or movie with one quality romance these days. To have a show that manages multiple romances is exceedingly rare, but that just makes “The Dragon Prince” all the more special.
So, starting today and probably for a good chunk of my weekend, I’ll be eagerly taking in this new season and processing all it has to offer. And if you need a new show to watch for the next couple months that is not holiday themed, check this out. Its appeal and impact is nothing short of magical.
Filed under television, The Dragon Prince
Jack Fisher's Official Publishing Blog 