...to not write a book.

Battle for the Cowl, #1

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:09:12 GMT

So, I recently got my hands on the recent Batman run "Battle for the Cowl" I started reading it (I don't read a lot of Batman, so this is an odd thing for me) and decided as I wanted to write a review on it. Kind of a half writing excersize, half putting more written stuff out there.
Wow, I'm really putting a lot on my plate lately, I've recently started a podcast, which I am continuing to work on, and my writing whenever I can, and now I'm planning on doing these reviews. So, here it goes.
For anyone who isn't in the know, Batman is dead. Bruce Wayne that is, the idea of Batman will always live on, but Bruce Wayne is dead. "Battle for the Cowl" is the story of who is going to take over for Batman.

Issue 1
"Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead?"
Written by Fabian Nicicza
Art by Dustin Nguyen, Guillem March, Chris Cross, Jamie Mckelvie, Alex Konat, Mark Mckenna
Colors by Guy Major Guillem March
Assistant Editor Janelle Siegel
Editor Mike Marts

The cover was almost amazing. It has the headline to the Gotham Gazette (Which is also the name to the issue) and it fades into the bat-signal with Gordon and Bullock standing around the base. Gordon looked awesome, but Bullock looked like a cartoon, it really pulled me out of the cover. THat was part of my problem with this book, the art across the whole thing was horrid. It was all very cartoonish, not that I'm always in favor of nitty-gritty super realistic art, but I want some shading, some level of realism, and I did not get that with this book.

A lot of the dialogue felt forced too, especially the character at the beginning and end of the issue, they wrote her dialogue in a forced rhyming scheme that did not work well, because people (even comic book people) do not talk that way. There was also a taxi-driver and the beginning of one issue that said, and this is verbatim from the book "Peeked a very bahd time to veesit Gotham miss", wow...talk about racism.

All in call
Cover: 3/5
Art: 1/5
Story: 3/5

Overall: 2.5/5

If they had patched up the dialogue and made the art a little more crisp this probably would've gotten a higher rating, at least a 3/3.5

Well, there it is, I'm looking forward to doing more of these.

FROM CRISIS....TO CRISIS in THIS AMERICAN LIFE

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:07:58 GMT

I've been catching up on some podcasts lately. Specifically "This American Life" and "From Crisis to Crisis". I love seeing the difference between the professionally produced "This American Life" and the amateur "From Crisis to Crisis". I Actually prefer the amateur podcast, and its not just the content. Er...also listening to "Radio K.A.L." but I'm all caught up on that, just listening to the new episode.

"This American Life" is excellent, its actually a radio show on PRI every saturday (and a tv show, actually). Ira Glass, the shows writer and narrator, introduces a new topic and separates it into three distinct segments. For example, one episode was entitled "Numbers", part one was about numbers in art, part two was about a man who used numbers to keep track of his entire life, and I'm forgetting what part three was about. Same topic, different stories. Its quite an interesting show, very in depth, and very, VERY well produced.

"From Crisis to Crisis" is a Superman podcast. From its own website "This podcast has a simple premise; examine just about every Superman comic published between Man of Steel #1 in 1986 to Adventures of Superman #649 in 2006 in an informative and hopefully entertaining format.

Part index. Part commentary. Part history lesson. All podcast."

And I love it. I've really been doing some catchup. Something like 15-20 episodes in the last week. Everyone who even has a small interest in Superman comics should listen to this podcast. Jeffery and Michael do an amazing job. They even nailed an interview with Marv Wolfman, that's pretty cool if you ask me.

G.V.Golwitzer
"I'm not making fun of Amethyst, I'm making fun of you." -From Crisis to Crisis. I believe it was Jeffery making fun of Michael.

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:07:12 GMT

I should really write in this more often. I just don't feel the drive, I don't know enough people on here. There are two things I hate in blogs, 1)people who say they should write more, and 2) people who never write in their blogs...and look at this, its exactly what I'm doing...

I've been watching Penn and Teller's BS and have been quite amazed. Evidently I've got similar Political views as these guys, even if they are Atheist (which I am not). I just watched an episode on New Age Medicine. I can NOT believe that people pay for some of these things. Don't get me wrong, I do think that things like Acupuncture can be a great tool, but some of these things are nuts. P&T did their own experiment using "Sound Healing", they played a Kazoo and told the patient that it was supposed to realize stress...guess what...they felt less stressed afterwards.

Crazyness.

Ok, I'm out for now. Maybe I'll start to update this more often. Aight, out.

G.V. Golwitzer
BLASTOFF!

Sing Woah--ohhhh

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:59:58 GMT

It's been a bit since I've had a blog post, so I thought I'd give it a go. A lot happening on some fronts, not much on others. Work has been hectic, but that's a blog for another day (overly busy and understaffed). Baby turned 1 year old, which is crazy, not only do I have a child, I've had a child for a year. I think that officialy makes me old (if I wasn't already officially old).
I, unfortunately, haven't got a lot of writing done lately. A couple book reviews in the Daily Journal, I had a couple articles up on the Superman Homepage, was supposed to have a short story published online this month but that got pushed back a month, little to no progress on the novel, some progress on a short story (one that will be very good).
On the bright side, I have watched quite a bit of movies lately, both good and bad. Plus I've read a lot of old, OLD comic book stuff which is fun and refreshing. (I've read a lot of the original Spider-man run).
Camping trip soon, a much needed Camping trip soon. A couple guys from work and I are going down to Davis Creek to camp for the weekend the second weekend of September. There will fishing, bonfires, card playing, and music galore. Good times shall be had. The only thing I wish is that it was a bit more 'wilderness' camping and not 'here's your lot' camping. But I'm sure we'll make do.

That's it for this post I believe, I am going to pop my thumb drive in and hopefully get a little writing done on a short story. If i get ambitious I may have some progress on the novel this week.

Out.

G.V. Golwitzer
There's the pitch, slow and straight, all I have to do is swing and I'm a hero, but I'm a zero.

P.S. New =w=eezer album soon makes me happy

P.P.S. I am winning a nerd war at work, this also makes me happy. I shall be the victor in the long run, even if my knowledge of the Smurfs is limited and I've never seen the Goonies.

You're not Superman You Know

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:10:12 GMT

1) I bought 18 TPB and One Spiderman Encyclopedia book for $15 today at a garage sale. It consited of 4 Barnes and Noble Spiderman Collections "Marvel Masterworks", the first 2 Ultimate Spider-Man books, 12 Marvel Essential Books (5 Spider-Man, 1 Daredevil, 1 Iron Fist, 1 Captain America, 1 Luke Cage, 1 Avengers, 1 About Marvel, 1 Ghostrider). It was a good run.

2) Read both the Ultimate Spider-Man books, and am reading the first of the 4 B&N books.

3) Watching Spider-Man The First. I love Willam Defoe

4) Working on a Short Story Collection, got some of my stories, a couple from some internet people (Neal and Steve, huzzah!) and am waiting on some from some friends. Got a new one in the works that I may include.

That's all, I may watch the 2nd spider-man movie today, depending on how late this goes. I just figured it was time for an update.

Oh, and I'm embarking on a new comic-book selling project, here's the preliminary site http://42comics.yolasite.com It's not complete, but its a start

G.V. Golwitzer
With Great Power comes Great Responsiblity

Wed, 20 May 2009 06:56:47 GMT

9077 words on draft 1B of the novel "Tag...You're it"

1B because its not quite a 2nd draft, but a half-edited continuation of the first half of the story, then I'll finish it out. Plus I added another arc.

9077 out of a 50,000-60,000 word goal, not too shabby. This should be done in no time.

So, Weezer's newest album, the Red Album, gets me everytime I listen to it. I'm continuously impressed by the lyrics, the musicianship, and the raw talent Rivers seems to have.

G.V. Golwitzer
Huzzah!

"When I was a baby, I was so happy...I played with my friends in the mud" -Weezer "Pig"

It's been a long time....getting from there to here....(Enterprise Anyone?)

Fri, 15 May 2009 05:50:01 GMT

Simplify.

It's been a bit since my last post, and quite a bit has happened. May 5th was our 2 year anniversary of being married, we spent the weekend before (the Mayday weekend) in Napannee Indiana (Amish country) and had a blast. We saw "Nunsense 2" (a musical) and at some excellent Amish cooking on that Friday. We stayed at an awesome hotel with a whirlpool sweet, The Inn at Amish Acres for those of you keeping track, and took a trip to Shipshewana the next day. Had some fun shopping and walking around. We took a carriage ride around town, ate some good food, saw a parade. It was all around a good time. On top of that it was Free Comic Book day, the first FCB I've ever been able to participate in, for one reason or another. It's a long story, but it ends up with me getting my free comics and buying some on top of that. I was able to get "Blackest Night" #0, which was on the top of my list of books I wanted on FCB. I also got the new "Female Force" comic (Go Neal!), 2 Dark Tower comics, and the first took books of "Superman: New World of Krypton" which is excellent. I never thought I'd like to see Supes work for Zod, but it promises good things.
While in Shipshewana I found a little wooden sign, a miniature version of the home decorating item about 1" tall and 5" wide, its black and says "Simplify" in white letters. Right now its sitting on our desk, just at eye level.

Simplify.

That's an idea I can live by. In my life, in my writing...everything.

I saw Star Trek the other day. Enjoyed it greatly. Can't wait to see it again.
Mother's Day went pretty good for the wifey, other than having to work half the day. I made it up with an awesome dinner.
Wife's birthday is coming up in a week or so, my birthday is coming up in June. It's a good couple of months. I feel like this post is getting pretty ADD.
A couple other bits of news, I had a book review for James Rollins "The Judas Strain" published in "The Daily Journal" (The local newspaper), unfortunatly they reformated their website so you can't read it online, otherwise I would post a link. Once I get some extra time I may type it out again (can't copy and past as I've lost the file) and post it on my website. I'm very pleased with it...very very pleased. Well...I think that's it for my post today. Back to working on the wife's computer, and maybe...just maybe get some writing done tonight. Have a good one everybody.

Remember to visit the website http://www.gvgolwitzer.synthasite.com

Oh, and if you've never listened to it you need to go out and find the Miles Davis album "Kind of Blue" I've been listening to it lately and forgot how absolutely great this album is.

G.V. Golwitzer
Simplify

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:31:40 GMT

My Novel "Tag...you're it" by the numbers...so far.

1 Yeti
1 Moon Landing
1 Prologue
2 Murders
3 Chapters
4,631 Words

Pretty good couple of days for writing, and today aint over yet.

G.V. Golwitzer
uhhhhhhh?

There are three important things you forgot

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:54:05 GMT

Stupid, stupid, stupid external hard-drive. I lost all of my music, all of my pictures, and all of my backed-up documents, and some current documents. Luckily, I was able to find copies of all my short stories elsewhere, backed up online or on the wife's computer, but unfortunatly I haven't backed up the novel in the last 30 pages or so...I lost a good 30 pages, single spaced, of my novel.

One word, on syllable...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

So, after gathering up all of my files on to a flashdrive, and backing them up on my computer and another flash drive, I went to Staples and had hard-copies of EVERYTHING printed. But, this may end up being a good thing. The novel has been very slow going lately, and I think a lot of it comes from these last 30 pages that have been fairly un-interesting. So I'm scrapping them, purely scrapping with no intentions of trying to write the same thing again. I'm taking the hard-copy and editing what I have done, about 60 pages, and using that as a jumping point to finish everything. Its going against my better nature to edit before I'm done, but I'm trying to see if I can reengergize this thing.

On the plus side, I was able to fix the wife's computer, get the virus she got taken care of. Its just a shame I did it at the price of my external hard-drive. Well, that's it for today. Back to watching "Pitch BLack" and doing some editing.

G.V. Golwitzer
I said it LOOKED clear

***automatically crossposted to Facebook and "It takes an awful long time..." from the LIveJournal Blog "...to not write a book"***

I am the master of RSS, kinda...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:36:18 GMT

Just wanted to post that I've figured out how to cross-post to my website. So from now on you'll see a footer at the bottom of my posts that say ***Automatically Posted to "FaceBook" and "It takes an awful long time..." from the LiveJournal Blog "...to not write a book.***

YATA!

G.V. Golwitzer
And now for something completely different...

***Automatically Posted to "FaceBook" and "It takes an awful long time..." from the LiveJournal Blog "...to not write a book.***

Inspiration and Wynton Marsalis

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:29:09 GMT

I got an update from the fan page of Wynton Marsalis, the famous Jazz musician, in the form of a post titled "The Seven Rungs of Resistance" I enjoyed it so I thought I'd share this.

------------------------------------
There are 7 basic rungs of resistance up the ladder of artistic success. I will start from the lowest rung to the highest. Click on the title to read all.

1. Ignorance - Not your fault. Generally the result of a polluted environment. No one knows, so you don't know.
Example: You think funk is jazz.

2. Miseducation - Your teachers are well meaning, but just don't know. It's no one's fault. Example: someone tells you, you have to study classical music to become a jazz musician. Bad advice.

3. Personal difficulties - You just have some major personal problems to overcome. extremely dysfunctional family life or some time of physical or mental disability. Once again, no one's fault, but an obstacle to overcome.

4. Laziness - You just would rather bullshit and achieve through talking what hard work would have ensured.
Example: You spend a lot of time talking about what you are going to do and what other people are not doing.

5. Opinion of family and peers - They think you should do what they think you should do. They don't study music or art, have undeveloped tastes and should be helping develop yours by encouraging you to seek professional teaching. Instead, they offer you a steady stream of uninformed, well meaning, but ultimately bad advice.
Example: The advice of your friends in the midst of a nasty breakup. Let them be friends. seek professional help.

6. The opinion of a failed artist - They didn't make it, so neither will you. Encouragement comes very difficult to them and a strong undercurrent of pure cynicism and negativity can destroy the optimism and faith required to get your artistic aspirations off the ground. Beware, because they also have a lot of very valuable information. but, if their career failures have not been put in perspective, that information can come at too high a price.

7. Uninformed criticism and the court of public opinion - The critics of your time are not fans of the art form that you practice. There's nothing you can do to make them fans. They have been given unearned positions of authority. Don't be depressed over this type of criticism. Consider it a compliment. With public opinion, be very careful. If you feel that you are above public opinion, your work can suffer from the type of myopic arrogance that destroys the humility central to artistic development. Part of artistry is submitting your work to be accepted or rejected by non "experts". It's like cooking a meal. If you don't care whether people like it or not, why not just cook for yourself. However, if you follow whatever the trend is, you might end up cooking a Big Mac. Good luck and do your thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.

G.V. Golwitzer
Plug for the new site
www.gvgolwitzer.synthasite.com

It takes an awful long time...

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:22:30 GMT

New website folks!

http://gvgolwitzer.synthasite.com/

As I said on facebook, its rough, I want to change a few things before too long, especially once I get some quality photoshop time. But its a start. Let me know what you think, what I should change, that kind of thing.

I may one day by the domain to get rid of the synthasite part of the address, the price wasn't too bad, only 19.95 a year, I just don't want to spend it untill I'm sure it's going to work out ok. Anyways, let me know what the world out there thinks.

Also, book mark the site and visit daily.

G.V. Golwitzer
LOO OUT BEHIND YOU!

Lord of the Rhymes

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:22:55 GMT

as I pour out my heart

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:32:45 GMT

Wow, crazy couple of weeks.

Two, count 'em, TWO articles published on www.supermanhomepage.com one on the Pronunciation of "Luthor" (it's pronounced LuthOr, not LuthEr, for those of you keeping track at home) and a for/against breakdown of who might die at the end of this season of Smallville. Both articles were a great joy to write. I'm hoping for some fun polls in the future to write more, unfortunately I can't do one on this weeks poll, I could try but probably come up unsuccessful, it is an opinion poll on the current comic book stories, and due to me not having a decent outlet to buying comic books in this town (nor the money) I have to read breakdowns and wait for the Trade paperbacks. I briefly considered doing some internet research and coming up with an article anyways, but decided I would just hold off this week. I'd rather write to the best of my ability when I know the subject then try to fake it just to have another article posted.

That being said, all my writing hasn't been going to Superman. I'm nearly done with my newest short story, tentatively titled "The Richest Man Alive" (just because it has to have a title or I'm not happy) It's an interesting story and I've been finding myself guessing the whole time as to what is going to happen next. That's the great thing about short stories, you never quite know where they're going. I don't want to delve to deeply into the plot, but it revolves around a near future where we spend Minutes/seconds/days/years off our life expectancy to buy things rather than money. (i.e. A house cost 3 years off of your life, a coffee costs 2 minutes of your life) When you've spent everything and are down to a life expectancy of Zero, the Collection Men come to collect. (I have to admit the Collection Men are a bit of an homage to the Tithe Men from "Benjamin's Dream" by one Neal Bailey. Not in the way the Tithe Men actually turned out to be, but in what the general public in Hell see the Tithe Men as. Wow, there's only one person that will read this that will know what I'm talking about, and that's Neal himself. I need to get others to read this...) Either way, I'm very happy with this story so far, it's probably my most unique idea to date (other than the a character's mind despite his body being long dead is trapped in the mind of another Character in "Tag...you're it", the novel in progress)

I've made the decision lately that after "The Richest Man Alive" is finished and thoroughly edited I'll be moving on to the novel again, I've set the goal of the first draft being completed by my birthday, June 10th. I'm about 1/2-3/4 of the way finished, or so I think...you never can tell, these things take on a life of their own.

Life. Life has been good. I'll keep the world out there (that's Livejournal and Facebook) up-to-date on any new Superman Homepage articles and any other short story/novel news. If anyone is interested in an excerpt from the two works in process or a copy of any of my completed short stories, please let me know, I really do want some criticism, hopefully of the constructive sort.

The completed short stories that I could send out are "Thursday" (Which was published in the December, 2008 issue of www.pensonfire.com) "The Torn Blue Curtains and the Broken Glass" and "Into the Mind of the Crater". Or I could send you an excerpt from the works in progress "Tag...you're it" (novel) or "The Richest Man Alive"

G.V.Golwitzer
Mmm, if you've had a dose of a freaky ghost, baby, you better call Ghostbusters!

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:32:18 GMT

My brother just got to go see a taping of Jerry Springer, second row VIP tickets. Needless to say, I'm jealous, especially since Jerry is moving out of Chicago and to the East Coast soon, I may never get a chance to see him!

G.V. Golwitzer
Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

Oh man...

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:51:07 GMT

the homepage

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:43:23 GMT

LuthOr or LuthEr?

Check out my article on the subject at www.supermanhomepage.com

Hecks ya!

G.V. Golwitzer

To the FUTURE!

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:44:28 GMT

I've decided that once I'm a successful author, living in a decent house with a decent income, I am going to rent out an apartment similar to the one I live in now as a workspace/storage area.

I'll need windows, lots of windows.

G.V. Golwitzer
I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.

I am about to watch the Watchmen

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:45:48 GMT

Watchmen at midnight tonight.

Can I get an amen for the movie FINALLY being here?

I'll write up a full report of the movie tomorrow. I expect good things.

On a side note, I'm about halfway done with "The Judas Strain" by James Rollins that I'm reviewing for the local newspaper, "The Daily Journal", not sure so far...we'll see...

G.V. Golwitzer
Toinght a comedian died. Nobody Cares. Nobody cares, but me.

Ella Grace Golwitzer!

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:46:37 GMT

Here's my baby girl. She's already over 6 months old, almost 7 months. Just thought I'd share. Its embedded for all livejournal user and the url is at the bottom for the facebook folk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4pSeCHThms

G.V. Golwitzer
Thats Ella!

Monty Python and the writing progress

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:01:11 GMT

And there was much rejoicing...yaaaaaaaayyyy....

I finally hammered out the last few corrections on Short Story Number 3: "Into the Mind of the Crater" and started working on Short Story 4: temporarily titled "The Richest Man Alive". Novel work is slow, haven't gotten a whole lot done. The goal on the first draft of that is June 10th, my birthday. I figured that gives me enough time to get it back and track and wrap it up, considering its about halfway done. Anyways, just thought an update was needed on the writing aspect of things.

on a side note, I found the first season of Monty Python's Flying Circus on Netflix streaming to the XBox. That made me happy. I've already watched two episodes of it. "The Funniest Joke on Earth" skit cracks me up every time.

G.V. Golwitzer
"Look out Behind you!"

WATCHMEN IS ALMOST HERE!

The Loch Ness Monster

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:03:30 GMT

Who out there thinks that there is a possibility of the Loch Ness Monster? Just curious. I personally think that there is a possibility of ol'Nessie existing.

That is all, just wondering.

Darth Vader and the Rebel Alliance

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:14:58 GMT

Star Wars The Force Unleashed is one of the best Star Wars stories from the last couple years and is by far the best Star Wars Video Game I have ever played. Words can't describe it.

First off, the main character, who is Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice, goes by the name Starkiller. Holy Crap, they revived Starkiller.

Second off, as noted in an earlier post I can force lightning and throw jawas and ugnaughts.

Third off, the biggest revelation of all, and its only on the fourthish level of the game, is Darth Vader created the freaking Rebel Alliance. That's right folks, Darth Vader created the Rebel Alliance as a way to distract the Emperor so he and his secret apprentice could kill him. No fooling around, Darth FREAKING Vader created the Rebel Alliance.

My whole perception of the Star Wars universe has just been changed, the way that Episode III changed my whole perception of the first Episodes I and II. Holy Crap. I can't imagine whatever crazy plot turns will show up by the end of the game.

G.V. Golwitzer
What is thy bidding, my master?

Oh man...

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:09:30 GMT

There is NOTHING more satisfying than killing a Jawa with Force Lightning...

No wait, yes there is...Picking him up with the Force and throwing him straight up in the air.

Oh man, Force Unleashed is a great game. I'm still having troubles getting over the fact that the guy from Smallville is the main character, but still great.

Vader trains Doomsday?

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 05:58:02 GMT

My respect for Sam Witwer, who plays Davis Bloom on SMallville this year, just went up a notch. He voices (and is the model for) Vader's Apprentice in the Star Wars:Force Unleashed game. I started playing it today and it took me aback that the main character looked an awful lot like a paramedic that turns into Doomsday. Cool connection!