Current mood:	SUPER!
Current music:	"Complicated" by Avril Lavinge (the Acapela Version)

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility
The other day I was talking to my little brother (we're about on the same mental level), discussing his favorite topic: X-MEN. Actually, it was more like he was babbling on about the vastness of the mutant prowress, and I was trying to remember why I bother to come home anymore. But, anyway, just to break up the routine a bit and hear someone else's voice for a change, I declared that my favorite superhero when I was his age was none other than Mr. Peter Parker, himself.

When all I received was a blank stare in return, I realized that I had neglected an important part of older-brotherhood. I pretty much grabbed him by the collar of the shirt, threw him into the car, and plowed down to the movie store. Two Spider-Man movies later he was effectively indoctrinated.

I had to keep from snapping his neck during certain intervals of the movie, when comments like, "This sucks" and "Jean Grey is so much cooler than ___________" were spewed forward. I mean, I love the little guy, but I will kill him if he refuses to like Spider-Man.

By the end, he was effectively on the Dark Side. He declared that Spider-Man is very cool and he can't wait until the next movie comes out. I can rest easier now. Unfortunately, he's still talking non-stop, but at least now it's about Spider-Man. Hey, he's Twelve.

It should come as no surprise to most of you that I would be the kind of person to talk philosophically about a character who wears red and blue spandex and says things like, "You light up my life" when he throws a super-villain into a power cable. I can't help it. So, here goes.

I think my generation has reached the point in our lives when our cultural references come to a screeching halt. No longer are we obsessed with What's New, but rather What was New Back Then. The best way to get a conversation started between my friends and I anymore is to mention Vanilla Ice or something called a "Popple". Fascinating topics, huh? So, I'm justified to talk about comic books even though I'm nearing twenty-three years of age (WHICH WILL OCCUR ON FEB. 24TH: HINT HINT).

Spider-Man has always been my favorite, for some reason. Maybe because he's the geeky, brainy guy who just happened to get bitten by the radioactive spider which just happened to endow him with super powers which just so happened to get him in good with the ever-lovely Mary Jane Watson. It's enough to make any Middle School dork drool. I can't believe there aren't more instances of intentional spider bites at the hands (or on the hands) of gulliable nerds everywhere. When I was at that age, I wanted to be Spider-Man. Screw Captain America. Screw Wolverine. And definitely screw Superman and Batman. Spider-Man was the best.

And still is.
(Feel free to argue with me, if you like)

Spider-Man 2 just proved that even more true for me. Maybe it was the coupling of my favorite Superhero with my favorite Super-Villain (Dr. Octopus). Most people claim that "Superman" is the best super hero movie ever made, but it's not. It could easily beat out the first Spiderman, but Spiderman 2 is just a dang good movie. Even people who don't like superheroes loved this movie. It's amazing.

But that's not the point.
Actually, I don't remember what the point was in the first place...

People on List to Meet in my Life:

Mel Brooks (better hurry up)
George Lucas (losing luster with each passing prequel)
Sandra Bullock (preferrably at our wedding)
J.D. Salinger (If he's even still alive)
Ursula K. Leguin (I've gotten a letter from her. That's close.)
Wes Anderson (He'd probably be boring, but, man, he can make some movies.)

And last, but definitely not least...

Stan Lee

I just think he's cool. I saw an interview he did with Kevin Smith, and even taking in account the amount of phoniness (See why I wanna meet, Salinger?) that comes with almost every famous person, he's the humblest genius I've ever seen. The whole time he was down-playing his whole involvement in HIS comic book company. C'mon, you're Stan Lee. You have to admit that SOME of the credit should go to YOU. But it's very commendable for him to be that way. Seeing that interview just reinforced by prior prejudice.

(*sticks out tongue*) D.C. SUCKS!

Why am I talking about this? Oh yeah, I'm doing a crappy Super-hero parody...

Here are some old, old sketches from when I was about my brother's age.
Like I said before, the Elite Eight (back then, I thought it was spelled "elete") was something I came up with in fifth grade. It's always been something that's found its way out of pencil throughout the years when there's nothing else to doodle. They were patterned after people I went to fifth grade with, but over time they kind of took on their own personalities, as they and the people they were patterned after got a bit older.



This is a picture of Marvel Boy.
I think he was always called that.
Jean Grey used to be called "Marvel Girl" (I think), so I just ripped off that idea and gave it to this guy.
Funny, he has the same height and age that I did back then...hmmmmmm...



Here's a cast shot.
Back then (not that much has changed), I never had an original thought. This is what they looked like. Is that Reed Richards? No, it's Brandon Something-another who's called "Stretcho". Lame, I know. For the rest can we say Poison Ivy? Nightcrawler? Namorina? Don't worry. The new Elite Eight have been tweaked. I can no longer be sued by every major comic book corporation known to man for copyright infringement.



This is breath-taking. Apparently, "Stretcho" *shudder* can stretch miles and miles, even out of the Earth's atmosphere. Amazing (just like Spider-Man). And don't you think that Scatterbrain is an original creation. Oh, No, No. She just bears startling resemblances to a minor villain from Excalibur (Another of my favorites): same powers, same costume, same name. It's Uncanny (just like the X-Men).



Here's a later sketch of Marvel Boy.
I seem to like drawing him more than the others. Hmmmm....
Narcissism? I didn't say that.



This is another guy I made up. You can tell my its amount of suckage that I did, in fact, create this guy from scratch. He belonged to another group of crime-figthers. Since I took the Elite Eight oh, so seriously, I had to make another group that was spoofish. They were S.Q.U.A.D. I don't remember what it stood for...probably nothing...it just sounded cool. Anyway, I thought this was pretty funny. Obviously, I knew nothing about weight. If you're a guy that weighs 120 lbs., you might see a Medical Doctor. I like his Origin. Hee Hee.



Here's one you've seen before. She's a S.Q.U.A.D. member, too. Complete ditzy, Earth-destroying powers, Sunny Disposition. I'm sure she'll show up in the Elite Eight somewhere. I still crack myself up. On a side note, every member of SQUAD (I'm sick of periods) worked for a mysterious man who appeared over a television screen (Charlie, anyone?) named "the Man". So, technically, they worked for "the Man." I don't think I even knew what that meant back then. Oh, well.

In Conclusion:

1.) I hope you enjoyed these pictures.

2.) Everyone should love SPIDER-MAN. After all, he loves you. So does Jesus, but he doesn't have cool web-slinging abilities.

3.) Maybe now you'll understand where I'll be going with the whole mini-comic super hero thing.

4.) Thanks for reading.


*Hissing Noise*
*Silhouette swooping between dark buildings*