Showing posts with label comic books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comic books. Show all posts

Friday, 16 November 2018

STAN LEE: 5 Lessons You Taught Me


Buenos Dias

An Icon, a Living Legend has passed recently. This post is to honor & celebrate the wisdom he left behind for All of us to embrace. For some of us we were all introduced to Stan via his many, many cameo appearances throughout the Marvel cinematic movies released. It was this kind of creativity & his ability to have fun with his work that kept him in our hearts & minds. Think about it, how many icons & "talent behind the scenes" gets lost in the forefront of the world? So many could be responsible for some of the coolest things ever released & we've all but forgotten them. Stan Lee became a household name & expectance in of itself. I still distinctly remember his voice over on the first spiderman game on the Playstation on. How he would blurt out "Excelsior" or "Webslinger"
Here watch it:

Now I think back to it fondly about how much he influenced my geek life growing up. Even back then.

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, and publisher who was active from the 1940s to the 2010s. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business to become Marvel Comics' primary creative leader for two decades, leading its expansion from a small division of a publishing house to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics industry.


In collaboration with others at Marvel—particularly co-writer/artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko—he co-created numerous popular fictional characters, including superheroes Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Black Panther, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and Ant-Man. In doing so, he pioneered a more naturalistic approach to writing superhero comics in the 1960s. He frequently made cameo appearances in movies based on Marvel characters, on which he received an honorary "executive producer" credit. Lee was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1995. He received the NEA's National Medal of Arts in 2008.

Stan Lee: 
5 Lessons You Taught Me

5. Excelsior!
"You know, my motto is 'Excelsior.' That's an old word that means 'upward and onward to greater glory.'

Every day, there’s a new development. … There’s no limit to the things that are happening. – Stan Lee


He's right the world is always changing, evolving. We should live in a constant state of mindful improvement. To keep moving forward, evolve, change & Level up. I mean this dude literally worked until the day he died! He was pursuing creative ventures well into his 90's. He was constantly creating, because it wasn't "work" to him. It was just pure passion, fun & joy.
Each one of us should create our own motto to live by. 
Mine is "Words are Immortal. "
What's yours?

4. Writers Life
The only advice anybody can give is, if you wanna be a writer, keep writing. And read all you can, read everything. – Stan Lee

I’m sort of a pressure writer. If somebody says, “Stan, write something,” and I have to have it by tomorrow morning, I’ll just sit down and I’ll write it. It always seems to come to me. But I’m better doing a rushed job because if it isn’t something that’s due quickly, I won’t work on it until it becomes almost an emergency and then I’ll do it. – Stan Lee

Virtually every kid is exposed to giants and ogres and talking wolves, and so forth. And magic. And I think you never outgrow your love for those imaginative, fanciful, farfetched, fantastic characters and situations. – Stan Lee
I relate so much to this dude wow. I'm a pressure writer too! Case & point this post lol. I wrote it literally at the last possible minute to the deadline I set for myself. *Facepalm. It might not be entirely healthy or productive & yes I do agree that certain things need to be planned but really & truly I have more fun writing something in the moment, than ahead of time. 
Reading is so important, you have no idea the effect it has on your writing until after you read +100 books. It's like your brain subconsciously does research on
How to write:
  • When to add punctuation. 
  • When to end a conversation. 
  • How to start one. 

How to plot through a chapter
It also gives you ideas:
  • Tropes of characters
  • Plot twists
  • Story concepts
The list of benefits goes on and on. Trust Stan the Man, Go & Read yourself up a storm.

3. Great Power = Great Responsibility

"With great power comes great responsibility." - Stan Lee
"[Being a ‘geek’] has become a badge of honor. It’s geeks who really make or break a TV show or movie or video game. They’re the ones who are passionate about these things and who collect [the paraphernalia] and talk about them. A geek is really somebody interested in communication and entertainment and [finding] the best way to avail himself or herself to it..” – Stan Lee, The Washington Post.
Probably the Most famous quote of his. This one stands out on any list of Greatest quotes of all time. 
While you might think it only applies to the "powerful" I believe it applies to us all. That we all have power within ourselves. That is unique & entirely our own. It is our "responsibility" to nurture it, to cultivate it into something that governs change within our lives. Think about it, if you had power, how can you be responsible for it? In what ways? Now apply that going forward. 

2. Stay Humble. Stay Human.
These stories of people with unusual powers and unusual appearances, who do unusual things, people are always fascinated by them. – Stan Lee

Just because you have superpowers, that doesn’t mean your love life would be perfect. I don’t think superpowers automatically means there won’t be any personality problems, family problems or even money problems. I just tried to write characters who are human beings who also have superpowers. – Stan Lee

Here he's talking from experience. A great subject to be studied in Pop culture at university. Take heed to what he's staying, it might just give you the insight to your own story that it's been missing. 
I think this equates to many things. About the core perspective. It doesn't matter the "classification of people". Whether it be Black, or LGBT+ or Aliens or Immigrants or Mutants or Women or Jewish. All those people that have been classified as separate or discriminated against in any shape or form. What matters is that they of have a quality of some humanity in each of them. That they are ALL Equal. That WE are all Equal. They all have to the capacity to Love & to Hate. They each have their own personal problems, family problems or even money problems. So really instead of discriminating & judging each other, we should be relating more than anything to people. I believe that that's what this world of Social Media revolution has helped with. For us to see JUST how much the person you never thought you would relate to, actually relates more to you than anyone you've known all your life. THAT POWER can help change the world. 


1. Inspire. Create. Write.
I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain people, you’re doing a good thing. – Stan Lee
I think because of many factors like family/societal expectancy, one's own expectancy, parental authority, monetary gain and so on that many of us in the "Creative" fields, find ourselves doubtful of our paths. Especially when we're exposed to all the news of doctors saving children down all over Africa or how the bridge being built by architects will cut traffic down by 50%. We're constantly exposed to all these stimuli of the amazing things people are accomplishing and you wonder how your artwork or piece of writing or the movie you're auditioning for or the song you're composing is going to make a dent in this ever-evolving world?? I mean how? Don't even get me started on when family member tells you about the accomplishments of cousin Tim & cousin Tina.... {eye roll} you can even see the glint in their eyes when they talking about it. You can't help but wish they would talk about you that way.

Well, Stan tells you. Look at the MASSIVE & UNDENIABLE effect his work has had on the world. Imagine how many of those doctors or lawyers that read comic books growing up. How many of them entertained to keep going in life. To live if even for that next issue that comes out the following week. Never doubt the power of entertainment.
I will forever believe that books are mankind's greatest invention of all time.
"Words are immortal."

Credit: Boss Logic
~vaya con Dios Stan Lee~

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Monday, 2 May 2016

Deadpool Vs. Spawn: Let's Compare


So who came first? 
Spawn or Deadpool?

Who intro'd their premiere Anti-hero first? Image Comics or Marvel?

Both these characters have become widely known as their respective Comic giant's ultimate Anti-Hero fantastico. Let's take a look at some similarities first:


I can't help but wonder if these traits are exactly what makes them so popular with readers, I can agree that they are what make them super awesome to me :-)

Mind orgasmic powers aside, their personalities and willpower are what stand out as they use these to overcome some of their most challenging moments.
After doing the above table, I gawked at it, shocked at how many similarities there are.
Granted Spawn is more physically brutal, darker & serious in nature. He's also regarded as an Occult Anti-Hero. While Deadpool is mostly cray-cray in the hay-hay, often breaking the 4th wall. Which is frickin' Epic!

So without further ado, the answer to the question is........(Drum roll please)............................................................

Deadpool!!! Tadarattada!!


Deadpool's first appearance was February 1991.
Spawn's first appearance was May 1992.

Crazy how close their debuts are hey? Deadpool comes out in February, then a little over a year later, Spawn debuts. 

Let me start by saying I'm huge fan of Todd McFarlane (I mean who isn't). But it does beg the question, did Deadpool's fame influence the creation of Spawn? Did Todd McFarlane use those same characteristics to come up with the deadly Hellspawn? 
Furthermore, McFarlane had enjoyed superstar status among comic fans with his work on Spider-Man, which had featured McFarlane's name prominently as both writer and artist. Which ties in with a similar post I did regarding Superman Vs. Spiderman: Let's Compare.

According to Todd, he created the character Spawn when he was 16, and spent "countless hours" perfecting the appearance of each component of the character's visual design. Whereas if you look at Deadpool's creation by artist/writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, a lot of the influence came from DC's character, Deathstroke. Other influences include, what Danny DeVito's character was to Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in Twins, Deadpool was intended to be to Wolverine. They also used mannerism from Spiderman, in the way that he makes jokes during battle. 

Now that we know what their similarities are, who came first & their creation stories. Can we still say that one influenced the other? 

I'm a major fan of the Spawn artwork & graphic detail yet I'm also a major fan of Deadpool's signature traits & mannerisms. His dialogue is mad hilarious at times. Plus the dude dates Death & breaks the 4th wall! I love it. Both have gotten their own Feature-Length films which only further popularized their characters & comics. So in all fairness, it's a win-win. 


On a side note, a guy began a comment debate on Facebook about whether or not Deadpool can be labelled as a Superhero since he's classified as an Anti-Hero? 
There were some solid points made for each side of the debate. 
I define it as Deadpool is a Superhero under the sub-category of Anti-Hero. 

Interested to hear others thoughts on this, so comment below. 

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Wednesday, 27 April 2016

The Flash (TV Series): Review

"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the Fastest man alive."

The fastest man alive isn’t a just comic book anymore.   
Barry Allen wakes up 9 months after he was struck by lightning and discovers that the bolt gave him the power of super-speed. With his new team and powers, Barry becomes "The Flash" and fights crime in Central City. 

Barry Allen: What is happening? What is going on? 
Cisco Ramon: You were struck by lightning, dude. 
Barry Allen: What? Lightning gave me abs?


A well-adapted version of a fan-favorite comic book series, the Flash has well-rounded characters, unique plots, and twists with the right amount of spectacular superhero vs. super villain showdowns.
Although during certain fights you can clearly see, that the Flash is pure CGI, the rest of the show makes up for this. Grant Gustin as the Flash, heavily carried the show in the first season, with Cisco Ramon a close second. But since then, more characters have started to show some promise. Doctor Harrison Wells in this second season is way more entertaining and provides a much-needed depth to the character.

I was pleasantly surprised when Grant Gustin sang on the show, though too short a scene, it was still pretty cool. Only through minimal investigation (Google) did I find out that the he acted in the TV Series, Glee. More of that singing, I say. I enjoy how Barry has to use this one power of Super Speed in different ways in order to take on the baddies. To say that they have practically thought of every which way to use the speed force is an understatement. Who knew having a hero with one power would be so popular and yet there you have it.

What is it with the super powered always falling madly in love with the human women? Seriously, it’s got to stop. What do they even do for them I wonder? I was almost bouncing with joy in the new animated Justice League films because Superman wasn’t all into Lois Lane for a change. More on that in my next post.

The show was well received by critics. The Website, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10 based on 55 reviews. I agree.

I’m not too jazzed that so many people know this guy’s secret but I am open minded about it, maybe it is time for a change. Often when things like this happen the shows barely address it. The TV Series Chuck is a prime example, do you know the number of times Chuck should have gotten shot or worse? It’s insane. It makes the whole government assassin genre look like nerd play. Don’t get me wrong I loved the show, yet it annoyed me at how trivial they make lethal matters. It’s the same with the Flash. Hello? Someone get kidnapped already or at least show that keeping the Flash’s secret is a tough thing to do.

I love Cisco’s portrayal in this series. He’s such a fan boy when it comes to the villains and the heroes. It’s no wonder why he’s so popular. Plus if you read the comic books, you’d realize he’s one of the most powerful characters there is, in the Flash-verse. Can’t wait for him to truly discover that on the show!

Bring on the popcorn and get ready for a comic book fantasy world come to life. It’s no Superman or Spiderman but it is its own! The Flash, oh yeah.
DeviantArt Cred: marconelor
Personal rating: 7/10

In the days to come, I will add more reviews of my favorite TV shows and Movies. 
Let me know your thoughts about the show. All views are welcome.
If you enjoyed this post, I’d be honored if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook/Tumblr. Thank you!





~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Monday, 25 April 2016

Top 10 Best Superheroines of All Time

A Superheroine is defined as is a type of heroic character who possesses extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and who is dedicated to a moral goal or protecting the public.

So without extraneous explanation, here are the 

Top 10 Best SuperHeroines of All Time:

1. WonderWoman

DeviantArt Cred: artdude41
The demi-god warrior princess of the Amazons, think Zena but impressively more. Her depiction as a heroine fighting for justice, love, peace, and gender equality has led to Wonder Woman being widely considered a feminist icon. Diana Prince is without a doubt the badass numero Uno on this list, taking on gods, aliens and all manner of baddies with true Amazonian prowess. In her latest appearance on the animated film Justice League: War, she proved able to go toe to toe with Darkseid himself. It's a must watch. Her battles are as entertaining as her cadence. She first appeared in legend in 1941 and will now be given her first feature-length film in 2017! 

Origin: DC Comics created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston and first drawn by H. G. Peter.

2. Black Widow

DeviantArt Cred: Armando-Huerta
Adding to the mythos of appeal for Batman, is it any wonder that she has been so popular lately? Natasha Romanova is a human female, highly trained in the art of assassination. Hence the humble name. She's been ranked as one of the greatest comic book characters of all time. She is also an accomplished ballerina. Displaying an uncanny affinity for psychological manipulation, the Black Widow is as deadly as she is irresistible. Not always known for being forthcoming, Natasha is always on mission with more secrets up her sleeves than the CIA. We just couldn't get enough of her in the Avengers & Captain America films. 

Origin: Marvel Comics Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Don Rico, and artist Don Heck.


3. Ms. Marvel

DeviantArt Cred: JPRart
Some might recognize her, some might not. She's worth mentioning at 3 due one of the most talked about debuts in comic book history. Kamala Khan is an American-Muslim Teenager from New Jersey, USA who has the crazy cool ability to Shapeshift. Her primary go-to adaptions of this power include elongating her limbs (stretching) and size manipulation. Comic book fans will know that she has Inhuman genes that were "activated" by the Terrigen Bomb. She ships the "Spidey-Marvel" relationship of Spiderman & her idol Carol Danvers. #OTP Having been well-received by the public & critics alike, Marvel Comics has shown yet again that it wants to include groups of the American population that have yet to be personally inspired by their heroes. The coolest part about all of this is that one of the chief creative editors for the character is a Muslim woman named Sana Amanat.

Quote: "Fabulous. Now I'm in trouble, too. This has to have happened for a reason. I saved one life, Does it stop there or do I go on? Maybe this is what I've been waiting for. Maybe I'm finally part of something... bigger."

Origin: Marvel Comics Created by editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker, writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona.

4. Hit-Girl

DeviantArt Cred: emmshin
Mindy McCready is the youngest by far on this list yet still one of the most lethal. Granted the character is extremely violent for her age & has received her fair share of controversy against that quirk. Hit-Girl still comes out swinging with one of the most entertaining reads out there. She takes out the baddies with a decisive flair that is akin to Deadpool's own eccentric magnetism. I for one hope there will be many more an appearance from her. 

Origin: Marvel's Imprint Icon Comics created by artist John Romita, Jr. and writer Mark Millar.


5. Supergirl

DeviantArt Cred: Artipelago
Cheers to all the fans, Supergirl finally has her own TV series which they have not stopped raving about. I do give it props for debuting a realistic version of the Martian Manhunter. In one of the animated movies, Batman analyzes that Kara Zor-El's genetic structure may allow her to absorb more of the suns rays than even Superman, effectively making her stronger than the Man of Steel himself. It might be poppycock but still she does have her powerful bouts of freedom. Always wanting to make a name for herself apart from her iconic cousin, will she succeed? Root for her. 

Origin: DC Comics created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino.

6. Erza Scarlet

DeviantArt Cred: AthenaWyrm
Finally! A female anime character that was not over-shadowed or side-stepped by the male characters. We've seen so many anime shows where the female characters have only a few moments to shine before they are delegated to the supporting character role. She's smart, beautiful & one of the strongest characters from the manga/anime known as Fairy Tail. To give you but a glimpse, during a tournament for the honor of her Guild (Think magical community), one of the challenges was a house of Monsters. Each participate would have to challenge a number out of the 100 monsters within the house. In surprise, Erza challenged all One Hundred Monsters at Once! This only goes to show that she is a true superheroine, willing to do anything to protect the "Muggles" as well as the people she loves. She has one of the coolest powers invented, able to magically equip herself from an arsenal of weapons & armor. 

Origin: Fairy Tail Manga created & illustrated by Hiro Mashima.

7. Storm

DeviantArt Cred: TyRomsa
Can I just say, I'm in love with this artwork! It's is the perfect depiction of this Elemental Goddess. Who could very well annihilate entire cities if she so desired. Ororo Munroe is anything but so destructive. Constantly having to inhibit her emotions least her power become uncontrollable. The plus side is that she is incredibly wise & empathic towards others, having understood the strain a mutant power can be to maintain at calm levels. She's one of the most prominent X-Men with legendary exploits. We cannot wait for the X-Men: Apocalypse film in order to see her again. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum.

8. Buffy Summers

DeviantArt Cred: odysseyart
Back before Vampires twinkled like diamonds in the sunlight (Stephanie your books still rock!), there were honest to mother Mary, undead Vampires without souls. One girl in all of the world was chosen to grant them justice. The Slayer. Gifted with supernatural strength & reflexes, Buffy could fight even the oldest of old & come out victorious. Being that she was in high school, made her somewhat of a teen icon to young girls everywhere. Her romance with the en-souled Vampire Angel became the stuff of legend. The original uncut version of Bella & Edward. Except here, Bella Kicked Ass! It sucks socks that the TV series is over but you can still catch up on Buffy via the graphic novels released. The series creator wanted to deviate from the female horror victim stereotype & did he ever succeed in fifty shades of spades! Buffy is a strong female cultural icon.

Origin: Feature Film created by Joss Whedon.

9. Motoko Kusanagi

DevinatArt Cred: AnthonyFoti
Recently you may have heard something along these lines about the character: "ScarJo is playing her? Nooooooooo! They can't do this to us. Wasn't Black Widow enough for her?" 
This statement stems from the terrible past experience the public has had when an anime has been adapted for film & non-Asian cast members are chosen. In hope, this adaption might do the anime justice. Motoko is from a famed anime series called Ghost in The Shell. She is an augmented cybernetic human employed as a field commander in the fictional law-enforcement division. Being strong-willed, physically powerful, and highly intellectual, she is well known for her skills in deduction and hacking. Even with her insanely powerful skills, Motoko draws you in with her inate humanity and feminity. She believes she has an obligation to use her abilities for the benefit of others. It's a brilliant anime series to follow. 

Orgin: Anime/Manga Series created by Masamune Shirow.

10. Ellen Ripley

DeviantArt Cred: Schwester27
No list of Superheroines, worth its salt can be complete without listing Ellen Ripley. In an age where it was considered absolutely absurd for a female to lead a science fiction film, Sigourney Weaver, cemented her legend in cinematic history by bringing impossible power to the character of Ellen Ripley. Heralding her films for challenging gender roles & illutrasting that a female could be just as must of an action star as any actor before them. Ripley is often considered one of the most significant female protagonists in all of cinema, and is a prominent figure in American popular culture. 

John Scalzi, film critic and president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, wrote in 2011:
She’s not a sidekick, arm candy, or a damsel to be rescued. Ripley isn’t a fantasy version of a woman. Science fiction film is filled with hot kickass women doing impossible things with guns and melee weapons while they spin about like a gymnast in a dryer. As fun as that is to watch, at the end of the day it’s still giving women short shrift, since what they are then are idealized killer fembots rather than actual human beings. Ripley, on the other hand, is pushy, aggressive, rude, injured, suffering from post-traumatic syndrome, not wearing makeup, tired, smart, maternal, angry, empathetic, and determined to save others, even at great cost to herself. All without being a spinny killbot.

Origin: Film Series created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

*********************

If we simply Must take a tally here, we've got Film/TV Series at 2, Anime/ Manga series at 2 with DC Comics at 2 & Marvel comics topping out again at a whopping 4 characters! Well, I'll be a son of a gypsy Queen, who would've thunk it? 

In the next post, I will list Top Ten Best Supervillains of All Time.

If you enjoyed reading this post, check out this post on Superman Vs. Spiderman!

I would be honored if you would share/like/comment below. 

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Join my Instagram community | Watch me on Pinterest | Subscribe to blog post Updates |


~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres