Chris Gore is a speaker and writer on the topic of independent film. He is also the main writer and founder of Film Threat, a project dedicated to covering independent and underground movies. He appears weekly on the G4 television program “Attack of the Show” in a segment entitled DVDuesday in which he reviews the newest DVD movies released that day. His books include The 50 Greatest Movies Never Made , The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide, 3rd Edition, and The Complete DVD Book: Designing, Producing and Marketing Your Independent Film on DVD. Sidenote: he remembered me as the guy who loved “Amalgam Comics”.
Yep. I’m the second caller.I called him up recently so get an insight of the future of film and any other projects he has in the works and to see what lies in that spiky head of his.
On February 20th, Shots in the Dark found, tied up, and guerrilla interrogated a current Forum Ninja (see: Moderator) from Bungie.net. Moderating a bunch of rabid Halo fans is no small feat, and he told us of the ups and downs of one of the largest gaming communities around. To protect his identity, we shall simply call him by his tag of Yoozel.
Shots in the Dark: Yoozel is an interesting name. Does it come from anywhere or anything?
Yoozel: It’s a mystery really… there is some truth out there about it… but all I’m willing to say is that it came from an artist I went to school with and she’ll get mad props always. Not to mention it was an inside joke back in the day….
SitD: Has that always been your gamer name?
Yoozel: Well… in the Bungie realm of things, yes. Over the years I have assumed countless identities to game under… but I was never really into competitive online play until Xbox Live came out.
SitD: Nice shameless Microsoft plug! Have to make the bucks somehow, right?
Yoozel: Will moderate for 401K and benefits!!
SitD: You’ve been a part of Bungie.net for how long?
Yoozel: I’ve been apart of Bungie.net for almost 5 years now. Still going strong and continually pissing a lot of people off. And despite public opinion it’s not over until my liver explodes or the Webmaster gives up!
SitD: Are you telling me that the fans, the forum community, cause you to drink?
Here’s a little interview I did via e-mail with Mr. Larry Niven, writer of books like Ringworld, Tales From Known Space, Protector and Crashlander. It’s short, and Mr. Niven’s answers are concise and to the point… but the most embarassing part is my fanboyish sucking up… I can’t help it… Oh, BTW, the interview was done in late November, early December.
Greetings and welcome to the new ShotgunReviews.com. Since 1999, we’ve done our best to give you worthwhile (and often funny) reviews and columns, and it’s time to shake off the rust and do it a little differently. We’ve kicked around a few ideas regarding how we’d do this new thing, and we hope you like what you see.
The new design comes to us from Barb Hallock, a student of mine with the appropriate attitude for this place (that is, bad). The more bloggish format puts us more on par with the current landscape. After all, we’ve been doing this almost eight full years. It was time for a big change. I think that you’ll agree that the new format, with a huge list of categories and easy searching, is a good one.
As part of that big change, we’ve brought in an influx of new talent from a variety of places. The entirety of our Best Shots team, responsible for the Best Shots column that runs every Monday at Newsarama.com, is now operating here in several capacities. You’ll also meet several talented young writers, including Barb herself, who will be tackling a variety of topics.
However, if you’re one of the rare folks that has read us since 1999, don’t get too worried. Shawn Delaney will still grace us with terrific music reviews, as will Jonathan Birdsong and the Lyrical Lounge crew. The Russ is back on wrestling coverage in full force. L.I. Rapkin’s already kicking in some culture. Eric Barker’s already opened the film vaults. And they aren’t the only familiar faces lurking around.
In the next few days and weeks, you’ll see the roster expand a little more and you’ll see some new recurring columns and features that we hope will become favorites. If you want to check out the old stuff, the old site currently still exists in its full glory under the archive button. If you want to talk about any of the stuff, old or new, visit our newly established forums.
So there’s my big speech. Enjoy yourselves, express yourselves, and invite friends. ShotgunReviews.com never went away, but we are most certainly back. Thanks for your time.
Gene Ha broke into comics in the early 90s, slowly building a name for himself with his work on Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix and Nightman. It was his collaboration with Zander Cannon on Alan Moore’s Top 10 in 1999 that really caught the eye of comic book fans and made Ha a highly sought-after artist in the industry. Since then, Ha has done covers for Captain America, Fantastic Four and Adventures of Superman, and an issue of Global Frequency that was well worth the extra couple of months we had to wait to get our hands on it.
Last October, Ha graciously took time away from his work on the forthcoming Top 10 prequel, The 49ers (due this summer), to talk to Shotgun Reviews about Alan Moore, the importance of Spaceman Spiff, the lack of racial diversity in comics, and, since he’s an outspoken political junkie, his views on today’s media and the war in Iraq. (Hey, if you want to know if Superman can beat up Thor, go read Wizard. We don’t toss softballs here.) (And for the record, Ha thinks Superman would kick the Odinson’s ass from here to the Rainbow Bridge.)
“Breaking Bread with The Rev” Edition
with Missy Suicide of SuicideGirls.com
Big Questions with The Rev. OJ Flow
I was introduced to the Suicide Girls world at the beginning of 2003 when SPIN magazine ran an article on DIY websites for the punk, goth, and emo set. I became instantly infatuated with SuicideGirls.com for the obvious reason that there were girls that I could relate to doing pin-up work in a site that was virtually self-run, as opposed to the airbrushed plasticity of Playboy, Penthouse and other similar venues. But I also came to find that the community that was established was infectious and addictive. The popular theory on SG is that people come for the women, but they stay for the community. The site is incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate, it’s relatively inexpensive compared to typical adult entertainment sites, and it has so much to material offer for men and women aside from the “nude & tattooed” that it’s easy to forget that it is in fact adult entertainment by definition.
Just this week, SG features interviews with film directors Alexander Payne and Antoine Fuqua, actor Topher Grace, and Ren & Stimpy creator Jon Kricfalusi. They have an incredibly active message board with forums ranging from sex & relationships, to comics, TV & politics. While the folks at SG never reveal their exact numbers, it is known that they do receive over a million hits a month, and the guy-to-girl subscriber ratio is surprisingly balanced. It’s easy to make friends on the site who share common interests (while maintaining confidentiality, if desired), and I myself have made some great acquaintances — in person and online, guy and girl — from all parts of the globe.
Missy Suicide is the founder of this incredibly successful site (all models and employees take on the “Suicide” surname when they join the family), not to mention SG’s best photographer.
with John Cassaday
Big Questions with Troy Brownfield
We’ve had a few repeat guests here at the Big Question, but few have been as appropriately timed. John Cassaday, who has proven himself over the years to be a remarkable and vastly talented artist, takes on what is arguably his largest gig ever as the first issue of the new ongoing title, Astonishing X-Men, debuts.
His partner on the book has had a tiny bit of press lately regarding other ventures. That would be uber-screenwriter Joss Whedon, whose superlative series Angel just wrapped. The prospect of a Cassaday and Whedon team up on the most popular comic book heroes of all time has generated a palpable level of excitement in fan circles. Clearly, this is BIG NEWS.
Even as a groundswell of press erupts and fans snatch up a line-wide reboot of the X-titles (featuring other fan favorites like Chris Claremont and Alan Davis), Cassaday’s work continues to be seen in the never-disappointing Planetary and in the forthcoming project (by way of Europe), I Am Legion.
So now, let’s take a few with the man that Warren Ellis calls “an illustration god” . . . a man who Keifer Sutherland has been alleged to call “one good-looking motherfucker”, and a man who my wife is always looking for (whether she thinks I know she is or not) every year at Wizard World Chicago. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome . . . John Cassaday.
The Big Question with Steve Janiak of Devil To Pay
by Troy Brownfield
Many are the mentions of the Indianapolis music scene here at the mighty Shotgun. You may recall our descriptions of last year’s epic Battle of the Bands that culminated in a victory for the hard-working Devil To Pay. The four member band (l.tor. Chad Prifogle, Rob Secrist, Steve Janiak, Matt Stokes) pulled down the grand prize of 10-large and went on to release their highly acclaimed Thirty Pieces of Silver on Benchmark Records. DTP’s record has made an impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Heavy sources like Sleazegrinder hail it as “a clusterbomb of stoney booze metal” while the sentiments are echoed from as far away as France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Australia. The group recently shot a video for their sublime anthem, Tractor Fuckin’ Trailer, and their laundry list of gigs keeps expanding throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
What may be better than the band’s constant ascent is the fact that it gets to happen at all. The extremely friendly Janiak, who serves as vocalist and guitarist, has had to conquer some difficult health issues in the past, including a genetically-related blood clotting disorder and some serious surgery. It was a true testament to the Indianapolis scene when bands threw in for a benefit to help out their pal.
(A sterling account of this tale by Danica Johson can be found here).
With that in their past and untold worlds to conquer in front of them, Steve Janiak of Devil to Pay took the time to visit and talk about throwing horns, the definition of troll, and how he outplays himself.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Steve Janiak.
The Big Question with comic artist & writer Stuart Sayger
by Troy Brownfield
There are times when I feel like Stuart Sayger’s official biographer. I’ve talked with the man for a number of sources, including The Indianapolis Star, Pulse News and more. The whys of that are easy enough: Stuart is a swell guy and a tremendously talented artist and writer. His self-published book, Shiver in the Dark, drew critical praise from Wizard as 2003 drew to a close. The new issue is offered in the May issue of Previews.
For his part, Indianapolis-based Stuart has built up this surfeit of press goodwill by not only being a good storyteller, but by being a convention-hardened road warrior. The man is constantly on the move, with approximately 20 shows down for his 2004 calendar alone. In touring-band fashion, Stuart earns new fans in every town; they go away impressed by both his stunning art and his genuine friendliness.
As Stuart’s a pal, we thought we’d dispense with some of the formalities and get right into some of Stuart’s own likes, opinions, and the possible deification of his favorite musician, Marc Bolan of T. Rex.
So here’s Stuart, in all of his rock star-esque glory…
The Big Question with comic writer Troy Hickman
by Troy Brownfield
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like Indiana has been going through a period of artistic growth. We’ve talked at length here about comic book artists like Andy Kuhn and Stuart Sayger. We’ve gone on and on about local music, recently spotlighting an interview with Jason Weidner from the soon-to-be-huge band Loretta.
It’s time once again to turn our eye back to comics, but it’s still fixed on Indiana. Several years ago, you may have noticed a piece in Wizard about a mini-comic being pushed at conventions that went by the name of Holey Crullers. The book was distinguished by clever ideas and fine writing by Hoosier up-and-comer Troy Hickman. The book caught the notice of some important people, and years hence, they returned to Hickman with an incredible notion: revamp your original concept for a full-color national release through Top Cow.
Here then is a story that combines skill, luck, and a lot of heroic effort. Meet Troy Hickman.
The Big Question with Jason Weidner of Loretta
by Troy Brownfield
All right. We’ve been talking about Loretta throughout 2003 here at the mighty Shotgun. We’ve talked about how they’re Indy’s greatest musical treasure. We’ve talked about how they’re impacting national venues and radio. And now, the boys (l. to r. bassist Jim Shaffer, drummer Jeremy Weidner, vocalist/guitarist Jason Weidner, the amazingly limber vocalist/guitarist/keys Damon Weidner, guitarist Stan Muller) are about to take an even bigger stab at the masses.
In his review of their sterling new Benchmark Records release, “The Translation”, our Music Editor Shawn Delaney expounded that it was “an amazing introduction to one of Indianapolis’ finest rock outfits, offering up a virtual tour de force of layered guitars, terrific harmonies, and boundless energy.”
I can’t say it any plainer. These guys are The Deal. Their single “The Fire” is set to impact on national commercial radio on January 20th; it’s already been in heavy rotation on National Commercial Specialty Radio, college radio, and XM for months. You WILL know Loretta. Make an early jump and meet Jason Weidner right now. And make way for The Next Big Thing.
The Big Question with Warren Ellis
Four Questions with Troy Brownfield
Come on, you know who Warren Ellis is. After celebrating the return of Planetary and the success of Orbiter this year, Ellis also made a deal to turn Global Frequency into a TV series. It doesn’t hurt that GF was one of the year’s best comics as well. In ‘04, look for the end of Transmetropolitan to finally be collected, as well as trades for other projects, like Red. Check out all the good word at WarrenEllis.com.
With that noted, Mr. Ellis recently checked in with the online comics review and journalism community. He was willing to answer four questions for each person who got them in on time. Obviously, we took a shot, and Mr. Ellis rejoined with the brevity that was the intent of this feature in the first place.
The Big Question with Georg Brewer of DC Direct
Interview with: Troy Brownfield
Fans of fine action figures have become very familiar with DC Direct. An extension of DC Comics, DC Direct produces figures, posters, statues, props and other high-end collectibles. Their wide character selection and constant growth are always the subject of conversation, particularly in the DC Direct forum at DC’s Message Boards.
To get some more inside information, we went straight to the top. He’s the man that’s been giving diligent answer-seekers like Sdcomics, Julius Marx, and The Toy Detective the inside line for quite some time. He’s the VP of Design and Retail Product Development, Georg Brewer!
The Big Question with Darick Robertson
Interview with: Aaron Mehta
The name Darick Robertson has been synonymous with the great work of fiction Transmetropolitan for the past five years.
Now it’s over, and he is free to cause havoc across comicdom. Darick is an extremely nice guy who is very much in touch with the fans, so instead of beating me senseless when I sent him an email, he responded.
The Big Question with Jim Beard aka “JSA Jim”
Interview with: Troy Brownfield
I’m reminded of the words of Dean Martin, “How lucky can one guy be?” Jim Beard would tell you that he’s very lucky, and also very ecstatic. A long-time comics fan, this museum curator by day has developed a sterling online reputation as one of the best of all fans. He’s unfailingly nice, intelligent, and willing to discuss comics with insight and enthusiasm. Known as JSA Jim, he’s launched clubs, answered questions, and led the good fight for a Golden Age Ma Hunkel action figure from DC Direct. After Geoff Johns noticed Jim’s great attitude and propensity for good ideas, he was able to help Jim into a wonderful new situation. This week, the Hawkman Secret Files and Origins special carries profile pages co-written by Beard and Johns. And soon, the JLA/JSA: Virute and Vice SF&O will feature Beard’s first straight-forward comics story. For this fan, the dream is now real.
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