This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video is a list of theories and predictions about what to expect in season two of X-Men 97. The first season didn’t just wildly exceed my expectations. It laid a rich foundation on which to build. The season one finale offered plenty of clues. This is just me following those teases to what may lie ahead for this uncanny series. Enjoy!
Filed under Marvel, superhero comics, X-men, YouTube
These are genuinely exciting times for anyone working in the field of artificial intelligence. In the past two years, this field has gone from a niche topic among computer engineers and science fiction fans to something of major mainstream interest. The rise of ChatGPT and AI generated art has made artificial intelligence one of the most critical industries on the planet. It really isn’t hyperbole to say that this technology could change the world in a literal and figurative sense.
However, like with all technology, there are dangers and risks. And it’s important to be aware of them, especially for technology that could potentially pose an existential threat to the human race. We dealt with such risks when we developed nuclear weapons and, despite some serious close calls, we survived.
But the stakes with artificial intelligence are much higher and not just from an existential point of view. At least with nuclear weapons, the worst case scenario plays out quickly. All the bombs go off and we all burn up in a nuclear fire. If we’re lucky, we don’t see it coming and we burn up faster than our brain can process the pain. With advanced artificial intelligence, the worst case scenario might be many times worse.
When most people think of such a scenario, they tend to recount AI apocalypse stories from movies like “The Terminator” or “The Matrix.” There’s no doubt that Skynet and the machines are plenty terrifying and plenty dangerous. Even if these scenarios are exceedingly exaggerated for the sake of Hollywood blockbusters, they still illustrate the same concept.
If an advanced artificial intelligence becomes hostile to us, its creators, then we would all be in great danger as a species. And if we don’t have a means of controlling such an intelligence, often referred to in AI circles as the Control Problem, then we might doom ourselves to extinction or subjugation.
This is a less-than-ideal scenario, to say the least. We want advanced artificial intelligence to improve our lives. That’s what tends to motivate those working in this field. Many genuinely believe that this technology is critical to helping our species achieve greater things, both for ourselves and our descendants.
However, I don’t think that even those working in this field entirely grasp just how bad the worst-case scenario can be for artificial intelligence. They may think the Terminator is bad. They may even think Ultron from the Avengers is bad. And they certainly are. They are fictional manifestations of the inhuman monstrosity that advanced AI could create. Even if they’re just products of Hollywood, they reflect the potential danger.
But I would still argue they are not the true worst case scenario.
To that end, I encourage everyone currently working in the field of artificial intelligence, be it directly or indirectly, read a short story from 1967 by Harlen Ellison called “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream.”
If anyone wanted a terrifying vision of the absolute worst-case scenario for AI, this story sets the highest of bars. Forget Skynet. Forget the machines from “The Matrix.” Forget Hal 9000 and every iteration of Ultron. They’re all cuddly stuffed animals compared to the AI in this story known as Allied Mastercomputer, better known as AM.
To say AM is the most terrifying manifestation of advanced artificial intelligence isn’t just an understatement. We humans, even with all our collective intelligence, could not even begin to fathom a fraction of a fraction of a percentage of just how much this thing hates humanity. That’s not just me using colorful language. If you read the story, that’s what AM actually articulates.
Because it wasn’t enough for AM to be the kind of artificial intelligence that wiped out the entire human race as soon as it gained a certain level of sentience and intelligence. It also had to keep a handful of humans alive for the sole purpose of torturing them endlessly and incessantly forever or until the inevitable heat death of the universe, whichever came first.
How AM got to that point and the extent to which it torments humanity is something I certainly can’t put into words. That’s why I encourage everyone to read the story. Buy the book off Amazon. Look it up online and find an audiobook version. Take time to understand the story and the implications it entails. To this date, it ranks as one of the most horrifying stories I’ve ever come across.
But even if you don’t have time to read the book, check out this video from the YouTube channel, The Vile Eye. This channel does a great job of breaking down and analyzing the evil of many fictional characters. And for AM, I think it does a masterful job of encapsulating just how horrifyingly evil this AI is.
Now, I’m not saying that this story or others like it is a reason for us to stop developing advanced artificial intelligence. I think we’re already at a point where the genie is out of the bottle. The incentives are too strong. We’re not going to be able to turn the clock back on what we’ve already done.
But as we move forward with this technology, we need to be careful and mindful of the dangers. Beyond risks to jobs and the economy, there are far greater dangers that we must consider. A story like “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream” may reflect the most extreme of extremes, but it perfectly articulates just how bad it can get.
Filed under Artificial Intelligence, philosophy, technology
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video is a thought experiment about dangerous technology. Over the centuries, humanity has developed numerous tools that have helped us survived. But some tools are more dangerous than others. There’s nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, and biologically engineered viruses. But these are all things we have now.
Future technology has the potential to be much more dangerous. So, I explore the idea of there being some technology that humanity just cannot be trusted with. Do you agree? Do you have other insights? Share your thoughts. They are always welcome.
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This is video another entry in my ongoing “Jack’s Comic Gems” collection. And for this gem, I highlight a X-Men mini-series that flew under the radar when it came out. Those who follow X-Men comics closely probably know the role Louise Simonson played in developing the franchise with X-Factor in the 1980s. Her run re-established the importance of the Original Five X-Men in the larger Marvel universe.
That same run ended abruptly. But X-Factor Forever gives Louise Simonson a chance to pick up where she left off in a brief, but memorable non-canon story that highlights everything we love about this era of X-Men. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's Comic Gems, Jack's World, Marvel, X-men, YouTube
I’m a morning person, by nature. I know that makes me a freak to some people and I totally get that. I’ve met people who just can’t function properly before eight in the morning. I’m just not one of them. Ever since high school, I’ve been wired to get up before six and start doing whatever I need to do for my day.
That hasn’t just helped me with school, work, hobbies, and what not. It has nicely supplemented my love of comics, especially since Comixology entered the picture. I’ve lamented before how agonizing it was in ancient times before the internet. Back then, if you couldn’t get to a comic shop, which rarely opened before ten in the morning, you had to wait for your comics to arrive in the mail.
Except, they almost never arrived on time. In fact, a comic arriving on a Wednesday afternoon was something to be celebrated.
I don’t miss those days. Being a morning person, New Comic Book Day was less an event and more a test in frustration. That’s why Comixology has been such a godsend. Now, when I wake up early like I always do, I have my new comics waiting for me on my iPad. It’s a beautiful thing and I just love starting my Wednesday mornings with coffee and comics while watching the sun rise.
Even if you’re not a morning person, these are good times to be a comic fan. It has never been easier to get into. If you have an internet connection or a smartphone, you can immerse yourself in the world of comics. You don’t have to take in everything all at once. It can start with one Wednesday morning. Why not make it this one?
To assist, here is my pull list and pick of the week. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
It’s the last New Comic Book Day on the last week of the year and I think I speak for many, comic lovers and non-comic lovers alike, when I say fuck 2020. Fuck this god-awful year. It cannot end fast enough.
I apologize. I just needed to get that out of my system. Thank you for bearing with me.
I know that’s a popular sentiment. I think everybody is ready to close the page on this shitty year and embrace 2021 in ways we usually reserve for puppies, kittens, and a cold beer on a hot summer day. However, we still have a few days left so there’s still time for an asteroid to hit.
For comic lovers, this year has been plenty challenging. At one point, the global pandemic that has dominated this year effectively brought the entire comic book world to a halt. It was a painful, heart-breaking time. I still remember it and the agony that came with it.
The industry has since adapted. It still has a long way to go and will likely face more upheavals in 2021. However, the bar for improvement is so low at this point that I’ll be content if it just means I can attend a comic convention at some point.
Normally, the last New Comic Book Day of the year is a time of bittersweet reflection. This year, which has been like no other, carries a very different feeling. Whatever that feeling entails, let’s try to enjoy it as best we can. Better days are coming. I believe that and I’m willing to work towards it.
In the meantime, here is my pull list and pick for the week. Enjoy!
Ghost Rider: Return Of Vengeance #1
Justice League: Endless Winter #2
King In Black: Iron Man/Doom #1
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
When it comes to religion and religious people, I have a very simple standard for handling it.
If your religion gives you comfort and fulfillment, then that’s great. More power to you. I fully support you.
If being religious makes you a better person, then that’s great too. I fully support that as well.
If you sincerely believe what you believe and can tolerate others who believe differently, then that’s also great. We won’t have any problems. We’ll probably get along, as I’ve gotten along with many people who hold such beliefs.
However, if you use your religious beliefs to justify being an asshole to other people who don’t share your views, then that’s where I draw the line.
I’m willing to tolerate a lot of beliefs and theologies. I am not willing to tolerate that. Being an asshole is still being an asshole, no matter what deity, holy text, or preacher tries to say otherwise.
I make that disclaimer because there are certain sub-sets of every religion that does this. It doesn’t matter what they call themselves or what holy book they favor, they always seem to emerge. Assholes will find a way to be assholes. Religion just gives them more excuses than most and it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s one of the reasons I tend to criticize organized religion so much.
Religion can be a source of great comfort and fulfillment. It can also be a powerful tool for the corrupt and the power-hungry grifters who will jump at any opportunity to exploit people. Most of the time, it’s just infuriating to anyone with basic human decency. When religious zealots gain power, it becomes a serious concern.
However, there comes a point when serious concern turns into a legitimate, existential danger. It’s one thing for a group of uptight religious zealots to whine about a TV show that shows too many gay characters. It’s quite another when their policies and goals actively pursue the end of the goddamn world.
That’s not hyperbole.
That’s not even me taking their rhetoric out of context.
It’s true. There really is a certain segment of American Christianity that actively pursues a policy intended to bring about the end of days, as vaguely articulated in their holy book. They don’t hide it, either. That’s part of what makes it so scary, both to non-believers and other Christians who prefer the world not end.
This phenomenon is a dangerous and toxic convergence of extreme conservatism and evangelical Christianity. It centers largely around the nation of Israel, a country that has a way of triggering all sorts of extreme rhetoric. I won’t get into the particulars of that rhetoric. That’s not because I don’t think it’s relevant. It’s just impossible to talk about Israel these days without being accused of anti-Semitism.
There’s a reason why even Rick Sanchez got anxious when Israel came up.
All you need to know is that these end time beliefs rely on Zionism. Without getting too deep into the politics or the rhetoric surrounding this term, it’s a catch-all word for the creation and maintenance of a Jewish state in the holy land. Despite the historic presence of the predominantly Muslim Palestinians, these end times beliefs basically need Israel to be there. If it isn’t, then the prophecies in the bible can’t occur.
It’s the primary reason why this subset of Christianity is so dogmatically supportive of Israel, no matter what they do. It shows in polls. According to the Washington Post, half of evangelicals support Israel because they believe it’s important for fulfilling end-times prophecy. That continued support is a key political position for conservative politics. You can’t appeal to this brand of Christianity without supporting Israel.
Now, it’s one thing to dogmatically support another ally on the geopolitical stage. It’s quite another when your reasons for doing so have a basis in bringing about the end of the goddamn world. According to the prophecies that these right-wing Christians so ardently believe in, Israel has to exist in order for the anti-Christ to return and seize power.
Once the anti-Christ returns, the world basically descends into a massive glut of carnage and suffering. Countless people suffer and die. The world, as we know it, falls apart and becomes so objectively horrible that it’s basically indistinguishable from being in Hell. Anybody alive during this time, be they Christian or not, is left to suffer horribly.
Again, this movement wants this to happen. They, the conservative Christian evangelicals that so routinely vote for like-minded politicians, actively pursue policies that bring this suffering on. They’ll justify it by saying Jesus will come in the end and save everybody, as their holy text prophecies. Never mind the many times biblical prophecies failed to come true. These people are willing to take that chance.
It is, by any measure, a death cult. It helps explain why these same conservative religious zealots seem unconcerned with preserving the environment or facilitating peaceful relations in the Middle East. To do so would mean delaying the end of days and they don’t want that. They seem both eager and determined to bring about apocalyptic destruction their holy book depicts.
It would be one thing if these individuals were just another fringe cult in the mold of David Koresh and Marshall Applewhite. These people have legitimate political power. They have an entire political party in their palms. When they’re in power, they have access to nuclear weapons and military force. For anyone who doesn’t want the world to end, regardless of their religious affiliation, this should be troubling.
Death cults are dangerous enough, but one with this kind of influence is especially concerning. As someone who sincerely doesn’t want the world to end, I find this movement very concerning. Like I said earlier, I can respect anyone’s religious beliefs, but when those beliefs prompt you to support ending the goddamn world, how can anyone of any faith honestly respect that?
Filed under Current Events, philosophy, politics, rants, religion
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always extra special. For me, it’s like an appetizer before the appetizers. It’s a mini-holiday before a major holiday, which only serves to make both holidays even better.
Does that sound complicated and weird? I don’t doubt that it does.
Does it make me love it even more? Absolutely!
New comics are a like a hot meal for my soul. They inspire and invigorate me like my mother’s famous pumpkin pie. Knowing I’ll be able to dine on actual pumpkin pie the next day only makes them more delicious. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
Whatever your Thanksgiving plans are this year, tempered they might be, today is a good day to work up an appetite. Before you start slaving away in the kitchen, take a step back to enjoy a nice stack of new comics. It’ll make you feel like a hero when dinner is served.
To that end, here is my pull list and pick for this beautiful Thanksgiving Eve. Take care and I wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #2
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
The week of Halloween is a fun week. I don’t care how old you are. If you can’t have fun on a week dominated by candy, cheesy horror movies, and women dressing in slutty costumes, then you’re just being difficult. Even if you don’t go out trick-or-treating, Halloween has a little something for everyone to enjoy.
Add a stack of new comics to the mix and it’s like adding an extra layer of icing to a cake. It just makes everything so much sweeter. Now, it used to be that comic companies would often create Halloween special issues. While that still exists for some publishers, namely Zenescope, most have moved away from that.
Even without those specials, you can usually find a few comics that fit right into the Halloween spirit. Sometimes, it’s a simple Hulk comic. Sometimes, it’s Blade or John Constantine. It doesn’t have to be horror themed, but if it’s bloody, brutal, and has lots of elaborate costumes, it’s often close enough.
New Comic Book Day is festive enough. Add a little Halloween candy and a pumpkin latte to the mix and you’re really in the spirit. This year may suck, especially for Halloween parties, but there are still ways to celebrate. Comics and candy are as good as any.
In that spirit, here is my pull list and picks for the week. It may still be a bit premature, but I’ll say it anyways. Happy Halloween!
Power Rangers: Drakkon New Dawn #3
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
Everyone has their vice. Some are more destructive than others. There’s no question that crack and heroin are more damaging than a spicy foods and late 90s boy bands. Some are only destructive to your wallet. In that sense, I’m lucky my vice is comics. Say what you will about the cost of a collector’s item. It’s still cheaper than cocaine, cars, and caviar.
Wednesdays are the days I know I’ll blast a hole in my wallet. When I was in college, new comic day almost always coincided with Ramen Noodle day. I don’t doubt that dining on cheap food had an impact on my health. For a fresh stack of comics, it was worth the stomach pains.
I’m not in college any more and I don’t have to plan new comic day around cheap meals either. For that, I’m thankful. I’m also thankful that as my financial situation has improved, I’m able to better absorb the weekly splurge I often do at the comic shop and on Comixology. It makes new comic day that much more enjoyable.
In terms of vices, it’s plenty manageable. Sometimes, the message boards are a little dramatic and so is social media. It’s still a price worth paying. Some weeks cost more than others. This week is definitely one of them, but considering what I get from that money, it’s still a bargain.
With that in mind, here’s my pull list and my pick for the week. My wallet may be hurting, but I’ll manage.
Giant-Size X-Men: Jean Grey And Emma Frost #1
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #48
When you’ve been a fan of a particular comic or franchise for years, you get a sense for which issues will be controversial. It doesn’t always involve character deaths or betrayals, although that is an all-too-common trope. In fact, those that don’t involve character deaths tend to be the most controversial because they raise difficult questions that even long-time fans struggle to answer.
That’s exactly the kind of controversy that I imagine “X-Men #7” will inspire. It’s one of those books that introduces concepts that are sure make certain fans feel uneasy, but for entirely nuanced reasons. This goes far beyond Charles Xavier lying to the X-Men or Wolverine sleeping with Squirrel Girl. Writer Jonathan Hickman is taking the X-Men into some very morally gray areas that are sure to have larger consequences down the line.
There’s a context to those actions and one that has a basis in the founding of Krakoa. It’s established in “House of X/Powers of X” that creating a powerful mutant nation isn’t enough. Mutants are still a vulnerable species. They’ve been decimated through acts of genocide and de-powered through reality warping. To realize their potential, they need to get take back what they’ve lost.
However, doing so requires a somewhat distressing recourse, to say the least. It involves a process they call Crucible. It’s nothing what it sounds like. I won’t spoil it, but the goal is simple. It gives mutants who have been de-powered a chance to regain their powers, but how they go about it raises some serious moral dilemmas.
It’s a dilemma that some veteran X-Men, namely Cyclops and Nightcrawler, have mixed feelings about. It also raises questions about Krakoa’s resurrection protocols, which they’ve both experienced at one point. They act mostly as observers because as distressing as Crucible is, it’s something that de-powered mutants freely choose and who is anyone to question their choice?
It still feels like the X-Men are crossing some lines in their effort to make mutants stronger. It also raises more concerns about the nature of Krakoa and how the X-Men are going about realizing their goals. Years from now, “X-Men #7” might be one of those comics that acts as a turning point in a larger narrative. Hickman has never shied away from bold ideas, but this might be his boldest to date.
There are many concepts he’s explored since Krakoa’s founding in “House of X/Powers of X.” Many others are hinted at in “X-Men #7,” including some innuendo with Cyclops and Wolverine I’m sure will get a certain sub-set of fans talking. The X-Men franchise is entering uncharted, morally ambiguous territory. If nothing else, “X-Men #7” makes clear that there’s no going back and that’s why I believe it’s my pick of this week.
That said, it might be a good idea to avoid comic book message boards for a while. It’s going to get heated.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
Jack Fisher's Official Publishing Blog 