Spotlight on Non Super Hero Comics

Super hero movies have been a money making business for the past few years. I'll be the first one to admit that I love every single one of them. More importantly, I love the years of work that great comic book writers and illustrators have been doing to bring these characters to such relevance. The super hero has paid it's due, and comics are a driving force in storytelling again. I've been on a mission to read every single New 52 comic from DC and every Marvel NOW title from Marvel. I'm only about a third of the way through, but now and then I read other titles, that aren't super hero related that just blow my mind. Non-super hero books have held their own for a while now. Examples being Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Walking Dead, Archie, The Crow, and so on. I'm going to list a few newer titles that have been amazing. The writing in comics right now is at an all time high, along with people's interest. If you wondering what is your next book, look no further. (Just a side note here, if you haven't read The Superior Foes of Spider-Man you are letting the best of life pass you by).

Deadly Class by Rick Remender, Wesley Craig & Lee Loughridge

You will see Rick Remender's name quite a bit in this entry, because he is the man. Deadly Class takes place in 1987 at a school for assassins. Your typical High School is escalated with gang war, unique weaponry and the inexperience of "skilled" killers. The first volume (issues #1-6) is fast paced, drug induced insanity with a 80's "we own the world" attitude. I'm looking forward to volume two which was just released.

The Manhattan Projects by Jonathan Hickman & Nick Pitarra

Jonathan Hickman has been known for his exploits at Marvel, and more importantly as the author of East of West from Image Comics. Before that, he wrote an insane re-imagining of the Manhattan Project. The worlds' geniuses are gathered by the U.S. military, use the atomic bomb project as a front, and create all sorts of doomsday devices. Outer worldly dimensions and evil doppelgangers are just the beginning of the madness that The Manhattan Projects exhumes.

Black Science by Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, & Dean White

The art of this book was truly the first thing that drew me to it. Add the fact the Rick (the f'ing man) Remender is writing it, I had no choice but to give it a read. Following suit with mad scientists, Black Science follows a rogue scientist and his fellow "Dimensionauts" through worlds that would be impossible to describe with just words. I can't emphasize the beauty of the art in this book. I've followed their journeys through two volumes so far and every issue leaves you begging for more. Definitely my favorite comic in a long, long time.

Andre the Giant: Life & Legend by Box Brown

This is not a single issue comic, but a graphic novel. Being a huge wrestling fan, this was a no brainer. If you aren't a wrestling fan, this is an interesting way to see into the life that was Andre the Giant's. It is a collection of stories told by other wrestlers over the years, some are true, some are unbelievably true, and some are legend in wrestling folklore. Graphic novel biographies are being done more and more these days, and I completely support that. This is a must read.


The following is a list of comics that are related to the ones above, but I haven't finished reading or they are just a few issues in.

Descender by Jeff Lemire 

Outcast by Robert Kirkman

Rebels by Brian Wood

Chrononauts by Mark Millar

ei8ht by Rafael Albuquerque

Trillium by Jeff Lemire

Mick Foley

It may come to a surprise to you, but I am a huge wrestling fan. I've been since the early 90's and really got into it in the mid to late 90's. I wasn't a huge sports fan growing up, and I was even worse at playing sports when I was a child. I hated playing baseball, I hated running so soccer was my worst nightmare. I did however grow very attached to professional wrestling. I had a few friends that were very into it. Getting old VHS tapes of ECW and putting on matches in our basements. I broke my nose in a ladder match after seeing The Dudleys, Edge and Christian and The Hardyz tear up Wrestlemania.

Stone Cold Steve Austin was definitely my favorite at the time, he was probably everybody's favorite, but I have always had a soft spot for Mick Foley aka Mankind aka Cactus Jack aka Dude Love. He wasn't your traditional wrestler. He wasn't muscle bound, he wasn't a high flyer. but he had so much heart and that's what has definitely resonated in me for the longest time. His character mankind is probably the greatest character in wrestling history. His mannerisms, his voice, his actions, his wrestling moves all served a purpose and made absolute sense. His battles with Shawn Michaels, Vader, the Undertaker and most importantly the Rock made me realize how special and unique he was. Undertaker vs Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 is the match that I have watched most in my entire lifetime. Foley was thrown off the top of a 20 foot steel cage twice, and finished a match that included him losing teeth, being thrown onto thumbtacks and being hit repeatedly with a steel chair. He walked out of that match on his own accord. He is the definition of "intestinal fortitude."

While all his wrestling accolades speak for themselves, becoming world champion and best selling author, it's his personal life that really makes me respect Mick Foley. Every thing that he has done, was for his family. He would sleep in the cheapest hotels or in rental cars, just to save money for his family, even when he was world champion. Mick is the epitome of selfless living. The amount of charity work he does is insane even nowadays as a retired wrestling vet.

My favorite Foley fact is that he is a HUGE Santa Claus fan. He is currently in the works of making a documentary about Santa Claus actors in their "off-season" which is entitled "I Am Santa Claus." He's donned the red suit more times that he's donned the proverbial crimson mask.

Mick is my hero because is a family man, a Santa Claus impersonator, best selling author, has garnered hundreds of cheap pops, been hit in the head by a steel chair more than anyone, and he does it all with a smile on his face. Mrs. Foley's baby boy has done all right with me and the entire world.

Welcome Back Kotter

It's been a while since I've been at it, and for all of those faithful followers :) I'm sorry it took so long to get back. This summer has been crazy, two weddings that at one I was best best man in the world, the other I was the second best man in the world. Both were a ton of fun, and a ton of time and work. Alas, this year's wedding season is nearly over and it's time to get working on some things. I'm really excited about the next few series that I'll be writing, so you should be ultra excited!

I've had this idea in my head for a long time. I've been lucky and have been surrounded by some fantastic people in my lifetime. Many have left an impact on me, but only a select few have really shaped me to be who I am in life. Some are fictional characters, some are people who play fictional characters, but most will be regular people who are super in my eyes. I see these people as heroes, even though they may not think the same and I will try my damnedest to do them justice, and explain how great they really are. So look out for some heart felt stories and some downright silly ones as well as I write my series about "My Heroes."