the
child and
MARIO GODINEZ
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forgives
creates
COMIC0n 2011 L.A.
Fright Night!
JOHN OF THE DEAD
for the readers
As the Harvest Moon rises and the Great Pumpkin patch blooms , we are whisked away to a mystical and magical time of the year. Where howling at the moon is a little bit more widely accepted, sorry to my neighbors if that’s just me. On the Cover is a piece from an amazing artist i met
Mario Godinez , who’s perspective on pop culture takes a deadly twist .
The Child Forgives and Creates is Melodic Jam Band who surpasses waves of sounds . Also we sat down with our good friend Ramon Ramirez and heard about everything that happened this year at Comicon.
Whether this time of the year gives you an excuse to eat 30 pounds of candy , or a time of rememberence of your loved ones passed. It is a great time, so have fun with it!
Art is a living Organism that Must be Nutured in order to grow!! Sincerely
-Daniel Wright
enCORE Staff: PUBLISHER Daniel Reid Wright EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stefania Trimboli COPY EDITOR Joelle Pearson CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT John Justice ART DIRECTOR Daniel Wright CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTORS Jennifer Vasquez Art Rodriguez
CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Sketcher Cruise David “GONZO’ Gonzalez John Justice Cale Johnson Charles “Trey” Lewis III Carlos Almaraz John Leal CONTACT INFORMATION
enCORE LFN,LLC. P.0. BOX 999 LA FERIA, TX 78559 For ADVERTISING, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS
CALL DANIEL @ (956) 367-1049 email: Encore.W9@gmail.com
LEGAL
Is LEWlaw Y E TR y at
by orne att
Understanding
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Obscenity
ecently, Ai Weiwei, one of China’s most famous artists, was arrested by Chinese authorities on suspicion of tax evasion and possession of obscene material. Ai is best known for creating the sunflower seed exhibit on display at London’s Tate Modern and his design work on Beijing’s Bird’s Nest National stadium. Ai is equally famous for his vocal criticism of the Chinese government. It is believed that the basis of the obscenity allegation against Ai is a nude photograph of himself mocking Chinese censorship laws. Fortunately, in the U.S., we are not accustomed to political activists or artists being detained based on the message of their advocacy or the content of their work. Nevertheless, there are U.S. laws that prohibit the possession of obscene material. In 1973, the Supreme Court’s holding in Miller v. California established a three-part test for determining what constitutes obscenity. Marvin Miller, the operator of a California mail order “adult” book business engaged in an advertising campaign to announce the publication of four upcoming “adult” books. Miller mailed brochures depicting men and women in groups of two or more engaging in sexual activities. One recipient of Miller’s unsolicited brochures complained to the police, as his mother had opened the envelope. Subsequently, a jury convicted Mr.
Miller for violation of California’s obscenity statute. Mr. Miller appealed his conviction to the US Supreme Court. In its landmark decision, the Court vacated Miller’s conviction, while reaffirming that the First Amendment does not protect obscene material. However, for content to be considered obscene, it must pass a three-pronged test: 1. An average person, applying contemporary community standards, must find that the material, as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; 2. The material must depict or describe, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable law; and 3. The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. The U.S. Supreme Court’s test is specifically designed to prevent obscenity laws to be used as a pretext to silence artists like Ai, whose work, while offensive to those in power, conveys a powerful message. Trey is an attorney practicing with the Filemon Vela Law Group, PLLC, which has offices in Brownsville and Houston. Trey can be reached for questions or comments at tlewis@velalegal.net or at (956) 544-8352. Please note this column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the retention of an attorney.
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music My favorite non-genre-specific bands: The Beatles, Radiohead, Daft Punk, Incubus, Ghostland Observatory, The Talking Heads, The Flobots, Weird Al Yankovic
A
STUCK IN A LOOP: How Genres Have Killed Originality
modern problem: I have this prob- music in terms of genre, we limit our concept of lem. I’ve had it most of my life. Ev- music to ideas that have already been established, ery time I turn on the radio, I’m per- in most cases for many years. There should be a plexed. No matter what city I’m in, driving motivation to move forward. Our current no matter what time of day; no matter music scene is driven by trending patterns and how hopeful I am that it won’t happen again, it demographics, making only the tiniest fraction of modern music are original. does. modest proposal: I once thought most As I scroll through my presets, searching aimmusicians weren’t talented enough to invent lessly through the frequencies flowing through my stereo, everything begins sounding identical. something original. The truth is, every one of us It’s as though every station has a mold they keep (just like the “avant garde” bass-playing baby) filling with melted-down remains of the newest, can make that truly unique and beautiful sound. hottest artist of the minute. But I believe that mu- And if that’s true, it must follow that there are infinite numbers of unique sounds on our planet sic today is—plainly and simply—redundant. “Even a baby touching a bass guitar for the very alone ready to be created at this very moment. first time can produce a truly unique and beautiful It can be hard to visualize sound concepts, so let’s think about this in visound,” writes Victor Wooten in his book The Music Lesson. “Even a baby touch- sual terms. After the basic Though thought-provoking and ing a bass guitar for concepts of music were discovered, modern music has interesting, this idea bothered me for months. If this is the the very first time can been slowly developing difcase, and if there are thousands produce a truly unique ferent sounds. Think of these sounds as shapes. Triangles, of bands in the world today, squares, rectangles, etc. and beautiful sound”. why don’t we hear thousands Now, group all the similar of “truly unique and beautiful” - Victor Wooten, shapes together. For examsounds? The answer lies in the ple, even a weirdly shaped The Music Lesson realm of genres. triangle is still a triangle, so it will go with the rest Let’s look first at how genre is defined. Etymologically, the word is a French term adopted into of the triangles. This represents the concept of English in 1770, explaining kind, sort or style. genre organization. As I said before, this is a very The Merriman-Webster dictionary defines it as useful concept. But here’s the problem. Standing “a class or category of artistic endeavor having a in the middle of this pile of triangles, squares and rectangles, I wonder to myself, “Where are all particular form, content or technique.” It’s important to remember that genres are a hind- the flowers?” Don’t laugh. After all, in terms of sight ideology. A genre only describes something shape, a flower can be seen as triangles around a that’s already happened. (I have no problem with circle perched on a long rectangle. the idea of genres as an organizational technique. You would think that in a sea of millions of difIf you had millions of albums on your computer ferent shapes, eventually we would start playing and they were all arranged at random, your head with them like children, building whatever we would explode. It’s a fact. Try it. I dare you. ) can imagine, driven by creativity and curiosity. Sure, a brand-new “Rock” or “Indie” band can But instead, people try to make the best triangle come out everyday, but eventually, they all start or the best square. If I could give artists one piece of advice it would to blend together. Most musicians these days follow a similar pat- be: “Be a flower. We are creators! Stop seeking tern. They strive to become exceedingly profi- after your own twist. Just seek after yourself. You cient at a style of music that already exists—usu- are not a carbon copy of Jimi Hendrix, and that ally alongside many other musicians trying to do is awesome. Hendrix’s time in the sun has come the same thing, with only a small (often unno- and gone, but you and I have every single day to take the things he taught us and create something ticed) twist on the style they chose to emulate It’s not wrong for a band to want to play mu- truly distinct.” sic in a certain genre. But when we think about
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MUSIC NGS USH THI B F : PE IST CE O RSCO N E ART I E T SC A/IN THE M 99 : U T 19 RA UM C T B O L : A 26 EL K ED: LAB S A ROC E L T RE AL RE: N E G K UN RAC T ES E H V T M FA FRO S E IL 40 M by SKETCHER CRUISE
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memorize the basics. Well, my basics at least. This month, one of those basics is Bush’s third studio album, The Science of Things. Interestingly enough, I used to despise this band. I remember making fun of people that listened to them and changing B104 whenever it came on. I started off thinking these guys were just riding the current wave of grunge, like they were overly commercial. And then I heard this album. Luckily I got over myself and allowed the music to speak for itself. Granted, this was a pretty big departure from their earlier two albums, but it motivated me go back and listen to them anyway. I liked Bush a lot more than I had cared to admit. Usually, I hate being wrong—but if being wrong expands my music library, I am willing to be wrong all the time. The Science of things has some amazing songs. It begins with Warm Machine, a typical Bush song based on the first two albums. Previously, this song would represent a huge problem for me because I have no idea what it is about. Soon, I realized that sometimes I like not knowing. Sometimes solving the puzzle makes it boring (like when I took time to translate Canción Del Mariachi). The rest of the album takes a bit of a different turn, using a lot of electronic influences. The Chemicals Between Us has an almost Prodigy-type of feel to it with the musical arrangements. The album moves on with 40 Miles from the Sun, a song about growing up and accepting inescapable truths about ourselves that we may have been to afraid to acknowledge. This truth carries a heavy cost of pain, but the rewards are in the freedom that comes with the newfound control we have of our future. My favorite song on this album is Letting the Cables Sleep. Frontman Gavin Rossdale wrote this song about a close friend that was dying of AIDS. It is a sad song that finds meaning and comfort in reality, even when things seems to be at their worst. I have to admit I have an ulterior motive for choosing this album for October’s issue. Bush will be performing in Pharr on October 25th. I know I will be there, but I’m afraid some people may miss it, just like they may have missed this album. Overall: 4 out of 5 ships.
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Send Album Requests to facebook.com/sketcher.cruise
MUSIC
the
child creates forgives and
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by JOHN JUSTICE
ecently, I had the opportunity to es on the band, but there’s something mystisit down with modern recording cal about the music they create and trying to artists The Child Forgives And label it would just be limiting. Creates. Well, I didn’t meet with When asked about their influences, Nico all of them, only Kenny, Leo, and responded by sighting Sigor Ros as well Nico. And we stood mostly. So aside from as God Speed You Black Emperor. These the fact that my opening line was pretty bands are definitely present in their epic much a lie, right in your face, in broad day- sound and modern interpretation of the Balight, possibly right in front of your mom, roque-born “Terraced Dynamics.” you can still trust me when I say - this is a “...[Since] we really don’t use vocals, we band you need to know. try to impact the listener as much as we can A seven-piece band is no small feat. How with our melodies and our style of writing.,” could you afford pizza parties? And how Nico said. “The dynamics themselves... could you even begin to agree on the toppings push the listener away with the loudness... for said pizzas? And finally, how do you get and then pull them in with the softness” seven heads create “...[Since] we really don’t use The band to agree on vocals, we try to impact the listener went on to an overexplain that all musical as much as we can with our melodies their musisound? Or and our style of writing.” -Nico cal philosoan overall tonal direction? phy doesn’t really revolve around “a comI soon found that no pizza was as enrich- plete picture”. They used the example of ing as the complex tones washing over the paint-by-numbers to illustrate this point. studio that day from TCFAC’s new album Their music is often left purposefully open, The Voyage Home. I was soon to learn TC- inviting the listener to become a participant FAC’s writing process was as passionate as and to explore the sonic structures that enthe music itself; shouted over, slept on and velop one and all at a TCFAC show. fight-provoking musical concepts filled the If you haven’t had a chance to see them live, you can’t comprehend what you’re room and caught my attention. It’s hard to pin TCFAC down to one genre, missing. and I don’t particularly want to try. Not to say that there aren’t a few obvious influenc-
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MUSIC
Check tcfac out at one of their upcoming shows. They will be performing in Harlingen, San Antonio,and Dallas over the next few weeks. stay up to date with their tour on facebook.com/tcfac myspace.com/thechildforgivesandcreates
TE
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MARIO GODINEZ I
Hea rts and Bones
by : David Gonzalez
she wants to know more about sculptors I help her out, and whenever I want to learn more about painting, she helps me out.”
t has not always been about painting monsters and Calaveras for Mario Godinez. Though, when observing his work, that may be hard to believe.
The high cost of materials and the time it took to complete his sculptures steered the artist back to painting. His mother introduced Godinez to the medium when he was a child. She took the advice of a therapist and sought out something to channel Godinez’s vast energy into something productive.
Godinez’s use of paint in his latest collection, entitled “Café Tacvba” is somewhat of a digression for an artist who is more known for his work as a sculptor. Lately, however, he has found comfort in painting, the medium for which his wife, Gabriella Gonzales, is known. “She’s the painter,” said a smiling and gracious Godinez. “That’s one of the cool things about having a wife that’s an artist; we get to work together and share things. We’re not selfish at all. Whenever
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“I might have been a little hyper-active,” said the Guanajuato-born Godinez. “During my childhood, we moved a lot until my dad found a job in Texas. We lived in Mexico for a year without my dad, and that was pretty hard on my mom, so my dad finally brought us here
to the U.S.” Godinez lived in Edinburg until he finished middle school, and then his family moved to Harlingen. Here, he began focusing on his art as a student at Harlingen High School South. “I always [drew] because of my mom, and it was always something that I would do as a hobby. But in high school, it was Mr. Carlos Leal who pushed me a little bit more to continue the arts. Because honestly, in high school I didn’t really know what I wanted to be. Thanks to him, I went to college and studied art.” At UT Pan-American, Godinez’s alma mater, he met his wife and other artists who motivated him to see art as a profession instead of a hobby Now an art teacher himself, Godinez and his wife currently work at Roma High School, inspiring their students (as his high school teacher Mr. Leal did for him) to go out and make their own contributions to the world.
“I paint the things that inspire me as a person and that I see as beautiful,” said the emerging Valley artist about his on own contribution. “I’m kind of selfish in my work, in that I create things for myself.” The “Café Tacvba” series is a tribute to his favorite band from Mexico ( right). Within the series, Godinez includes aspects of pop culture, the living dead and his childhood images engrained from his time in neighboring Mexico. His Calaveras, which is Spanish word for “skulls”, references the Mexican cultural phenomenon Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and give his work a local cultural depth rarely seen mixed with widespread WhiteAmerican culture. It is evident that Godinez channels his still-hyper-active mind into his work, giving his audience a glimpse into the darkness it contains. It has a sense of familiarity that we can all find in ourselves.
check out some of mario’s work at gallery 218 on the corner of jackson and commerce in harlingen. also at facebook.com/elmagoart
Mario godinez :picasso
Mario godinez :Frida
COMIC0n 2011 L.A.
Photo by ramon ramirez
enCORE’s
interview with ramon ramirez of smarty cartoons about this year’s comicon E
- So, what was your reason for attending comic con this year? RR:I have been attending for the past 6 years as a registered professional and this being my 7th time attending gave me an opportunity to continue to network with people and professionals that are in the same realm as my creativity. I also network a lot and I’m able to use my dual role both as an art teacher representing my district and also as cartoonist to be able to get new ideas, update my career on the latest industry news and personally experience the media that exposes creativity on all levels. My goal as a teacher is to bring back industry news and bring the professional world to my classroom via my networking elements available to me. I also was there to show support to my sponsors at Wacom –makers of digital drawing tablets. They featured two of my prints at their booth and I also via my networking I came back with more sponsors from Smith Micro Software makers of Anime Studio Pro 8, Poser Pro, and Manga Studio.
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-For those that are unfamiliar with comic con, what is it all about? (To you anyway....)
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Comic Con can be described as a multi media event that features the latest and upcoming movies, toys, video games, tv shows, independent and international publishers as well as Artists Alley and a chance to be discovered if you have talent in the realm of Fine Arts. It usually takes place in July and is housed in San Diego on a yearly basis and has been in existence for 42 years. Comic Con begins on a Wednesday and goes on through Sunday. I enjoy attending this event because now that I’ve been at this for 7 years I have made great friends in the industry such as Bobby and Kei of Imaginism Studios. They are responsible for character designs for feature films such as Alice in Wonderland and the Smurfs. They are very supportive of my cartooning and always send donations to my students in the form of books, cards and posters for my classroom and computer lab. E
-What was one of the more interesting things this year at comic con? This year at Comic Con there were several premieres. Among the highlights were the premiere of Captain America and Cowboys and Aliens plus a unique event held by Cirque Du Soleil’s KA which performed at the Petco Stadium and was a free event for all Comic Con attendees on Thursday night.-What goes on at comic con? Comic Con begins with Preview Night on Wednesday which is when the exhibit hall opens up for everyone with a ticket for that night. Thursday through Sunday there are several things happening which include panels, workshops, art shows, Cosplay contests, portfolio review, autograph sessions, premieres, Artists Alley, and of course the popular exhibit hall that features professional booths for everyone to visit and enjoy purchasing or winning free items passed out by industry and independent booths. There are also other events outside of the convention center and in the Gaslamp Quarter area of San Diego. You can walk into the convention center and also outside the center and you will see companies handing out free items which promote their latest projects, movies or events on their items such as bags, caps, shirts, and other fun items. The fans can either shop, collect free items, enjoy a panel based on their favorite show or actor, exhibit their art, have their art portfolio reviewed or get autographs and also get to try out the latest toys, video games and visit with professional artists or try out the latest technology such as the Wacom booth showing the latest in digital tablets.
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What was coolest moment at this year’s comic con? Ever at comic con? On the networking level for me personally it was meeting my friend Geovana Antoinette of “Just Kidding Films” who represents a creative force on YouTube that I’ve been networking with for one of my projects. Smarty Cartoons along with JK Films will be working on a collaborative project and it’s great to meet others who strive to be creative especially through humor. On the “meeting a cool actor moment” it was when I stumbled upon Katrina Law and Manu Bennett of the show Spartacus at my hotel lobby. She was very nice and gave me a hug because she remembered my name appearing on her twitter and I had promised her a cartoon which now that I have been inspired by this meeting will be even more fun to work with as I produce the work this month. She recognized “Smarty Cartoons” and that was “cool!” Manu Bennett was a nice man and they are both very nice actors and I had fun meeting both and later it will be even more fun because they are waiting for their drawing from Smarty Cartoons and it will be a great honor to produce a cartoon for them as a fan gesture. For my art colleague, Larry who traveled with me it was meeting Francis Ford Coppola which I shot a photo of him signing an autograph in our chance meeting in the elevator. My coolest moment ever was 2 years ago when I met Gene Simmons. When KISS came to Hidalgo I was at their concert and that same week there had been a cartoon published about the event. I happened to take my cartoon that year and was at the right place at the right time and was able to get him to sign that very cartoon that went to print when KISS came to perform in south Texas. The cool part was when he asked if he was going to get a copy and of course I had two which I left both with him to have for his collection. The reason this is memorable for me
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-Are you going next year? My plans are to take a break for a year and save some funds to travel to Los Angeles or Chicago for other projects and networking that I have planned. I’m registered as a professional so I am able to attend for free which is great because I’ve worked so hard to establish myself as a cartoonist and that’s nice for Comic Con to respect the professionals in that form of appreciation.
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. -How long were you at the event? I attended Thursday through Sunday.
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What advise would you give those looking to go to comic con? It is not impossible to get there, you just have to save your money and be up to date on event news and the best advice is to network with others and it will make your trip a lot easier and you’ll get more out of your trip by learning from the veterans that have gone before. To those that are looking at getting discovered I recommend to never give up. Perform, learn and shadow the best in the industry. Network, network, network. It is key to advancing in the industry and to grow as a professional.
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-Did you have your own booth? I didn’t have a booth since I’ve learned to practice the art of networking and in doing so I’ve come back successfully with two sponsors from doing this. I’m currently working on legal protection for one of my projects and when I complete that phase I’ll venture into publishing my books and establish a booth someday if needed at the time. I love networking and that’s the fun about Comic Con is that there is a bit of everything for everyone depending on what you want to experience there. While I’m there I do enjoy visiting my friends such as Valerie Perez known for her panel on independent film making and also she models for Marvel and DC as a resource model for their comic covers. I did a Wonder Woman digital artwork for her as a gift at this comic con and she is pictured alongside her art while she is dressed as Wonder Woman in one of my photos. I also get to visit Keith Knight who is a San Francisco based cartoonist and Kei Aceidera and Bobby Chiu of Imaginism Studios who are known for their character design skills for popular movies such as Alice in Wonderland and the Smurfs. In visiting booths I’ve made many friends and many networking contacts. I enjoy going to support their work and bringing back inspirations for my students.
E -What is the purpose of comic con?
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To premiere the latest in mass media such as upcoming tv shows, movies, books, comics, web sites, video games, toys, schools, industry, technology, and to give artists of all realms a chance to be discovered as well as establish a convention where Hollywood gets to meet their fans. Average attendance ranges from 140,000-180,000 attendees. -Who was the most famous/interesting person you saw/met at the event? It would have to be Katrina Law who is also talented in the area of music and photography. Who knew! She was great and treated me with awesome respect and I’ll never forget that hug! What a great honor to be able to draw her and give her the drawing via social media. I’ll be sharing my art production for her soon on my site.
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-What was new at comic con that we havent seen yet? The Men in Black motorcycle, some new Captain American toys for kids, a lot of Hallmark collectables with a Star Wars theme, the upcoming film remake of Total Recall,
The Avengers movie, a lot of great new video games such as Batman Asylum 2, new TV shows on ABC Family, SyFy and Disney as well as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. So many things to list and also a lot of great technology that is coming soon from Wacom and SmithMicro which will enable digital artists to be more creative. E
-A lot of people dress up for the event, did you? What was surprised you the most? My cape wearing days ended back in elementary but now that I’m a professional cartoonist I wear my Smarty Cartoons logo proudly and enjoy meeting new friends and networking on the exhibit hall floor. I’m actually surprised at how dedicated these fans are. They deserve a lot of respect and the actors and industry do provide that for them which is great to see a fun and vibrant environment like that.
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-What will you take away from this year’s visit? After 7 years of attending, I have gained respect from other professionals and industry professionals. I have enjoyed being able to represent south Texas via Smarty Cartoons and my other projects. Every year I learn new things, meet new friends and bring back a lot of resources for my school and for my students. I bring back a lot of creative inspiration and the positive vibe that is shared at Comic Con. I celebrate my 25th year this 2012 as a cartoonist with Smarty Cartoons. It is an honor to have led the way for others to follow and to know they too can make things happen if they set their hearts to it. Hard work pays off and I’m very thankful for my wife, Debra who has been supportive as well as my close friends and family who have demonstrated an abundance of positive support. Leading the Valley with a fan base of 39,500 fans has been a great honor and I will continue to do my best to be a blessing to others and inspire my community as they have inspired me.
keep up with Ramon’s updates facebook.com/smartyfanpage or facebook.com/onlyinthevalley Ken Jeong from hangover and transformers 3 Grace Phipps- Fright Night and The 9 lives of Chloe King Felicia Day- The Guild, Eureka, Thomas Lennon- plays Lieutenant Jim Dangle on Reno 911 Manu Bennett-plays Crixus on Spartacus Blair Butler –Host of G-4 Channel’s Attack of the Show
(956) 412-7808 623 n. 77 ss Harlingen Craig from comics unlimited with Stan Lee at comicon
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Film Fright Night
With Halloween approaching, what better time for me to recommend a few of my favorite films, which (though not atypical horror films) will give you chills nonetheles s.
The Thing
Dir: John Carpenter, 1982 Set in the cold, dark confines of an Antarctic research facility, The Thing follows a group of research scientists after they discover an alien frozen in the ice caps. Able to assimilate and imitate their appearance, the Thing awakens and infiltrates their isolated camp. Unable to determine who is a friend or foe, the group slowly comes unhinged by the murder, destruction and mistrust that closes in around them. Led by their roughneck, cowboy, over-the-top helicopter pilot MacReady (Kurt Russell), the remaining survivors must discover who among them has been turned and kill the Thing before it infects them all—or makes its escape to human civilization. A cult classic that currently has a prequel in the works, The Thing contains some of the most disturbing and repulsive creature effects ever created. Jacob’s Ladder
Dir: Adrien Lyne, 1990 Following a dying man’s terrifying descent into the darkness of hell and back again, Jacob’s Ladder looks at a war veteran haunted by his past and petrified of the unknown horrors of his future. Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) remains stranded in between the worlds of life and death, struggling to keep his sanity through his increasingly nightmarish visions infiltrating his world. One of my favorite non-traditional horror films of all time, director Lyne creates an unsettling sense of building dread which develops throughout the film as Jacob’s strange hallucinations and behavior becomes more and more erratic. At the same time, the film delivers a sobering view on life, death and the struggle to let go of the pain from our past we desperately cling.
American Psycho Dir: Mary Harron, 2000 Before he became internationally famous as Batman, Christian Bale played Patrick Bateman, a self-absorbed yuppie Wall Street businessman in 1980’s New York. Struggling desperately to fit in, Bateman hides his dark insecurities in plain sight, camouflaged perfectly amongst his equally materialistic peers. He spends his nights indulging in the depraved sociopath cravings he harbors as a disturbed serial killer. Positioned somewhere between horror and a dark satiric comedy, Bale steals the show, playing the role perfectly balanced between an insecure, image-obsessed empty suit, an over-the-top psychotic loon and a cool and calculated killer, delivering line after line of quotable dialogue. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to return some video tapes.
El Orfanato (The Orphanage) Dir: Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
The only foreign film on this list, The Orphanage is a well-constructed Spanish ghost story. It follows a devastated mother, obsessed with finding her child who went missing at an old orphanage she grew up in which is now haunted by a terrible secret from its past. Ghosts are creepy enough, creepy children ghosts are even worse. In the same vein of Nicole Kidman’s The Others, The Orphanage does not resort to cheap scares, relying mostly on its anticipatory tone, the pending questions behind the mysteries and sympathy for its well-written characters to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Alien Dir: Ridley Scott, 1979 Most might say that this film should be listed in the science fiction category, which would be a valid argument for any other installment in the Alien franchise. But the original Alien should be not only included in the horror genre, but also deserves a place with the best of all cinema. Most have probably seen or are aware of this movie film and the terrifying creature that gives the film its name, but it never hurts to revisit this classic. Dark, claustrophobic and suspenseful, Alien follows a crew on a commercial spaceship terrorized by a stowaway creature that kills them off one by one. In the role that made Sigourney Weaver famous, Alien is one of the great films that blend the science fiction and horror genres.
FOOD
In the spirit of the Halloween season, I thought I might include a couple orange recipes— either in color or in taste. Lots of different spices and flavors fill these recipes to bring in autumn and the holidays. This is my favorite time of the year, and I look forward to using different spices in my cooking. Enjoy!
Silky Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup
-Chef Stefania Trimboli
Yields: About 6 servings 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger 1 tsp ground cumin 1tsp ground coriander 1/8 tsp ground cardamom Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes 1 (15oz) can solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling) 1 ½ cps chicken stock 1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk (not low fat) 2 tbsp red curry paste Cook onions in butter in a wide, 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, cardamom and salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes, stir. Stir in pumpkin, chicken stock, coconut milk and curry paste, simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl and return soup to pot. Keep soup warm over low heat. Taste for final seasoning of additional salt and pepper. Soup can be thinned with water.
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FOOD
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
Yields: About 42 cookies 1 cp sugar 1 stick unsalted butter, melted 3 tbsp Cointreau or any orange flavored liqueur, or juice from one orange 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ cp dried cranberries ½ cp toasted almonds, coarsely chopped Zest of one orange 3 large eggs 2 ¾ cps All Purpose flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt Stir together sugar, butter, liqueur and extracts in a large bowl, then stir in cranberries, almonds, zest and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Chill dough, covered, for 30 minutes. Using moistened hands, make a loaf on an ungreased large baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer loaf to a rack and cool 15 minutes. Cut loaf into ¾ inch slices with a serrated knife. Arrange slices with a cut side down on a clean baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.
gimme the cheese-meh
It
is yet another month and time for the almighty Ibores from the districts of Ibores in Spain. This cheese reminds me of when I was a kid at the Villasano’s ranch, tasting fresh, warm, raw goat’s milk for the first time. Ibores has a gamey, salty taste that I would come to love and enjoy over the ages. Another huge plus about Ibores is that it’s also one of my wife’s favorite cheeses. She loves the light, grassy flavor of it. Unsurprisingly, 65% of the flavor of almost all artisanal cheeses comes from the animal’s breed and diet.
Although Ibores has an immense flavor profile, it actually has a humble and simplistic formula. First, natural coagulants also known as rennet (extracted from baby cow stomachs) are added to the milk, which takes only an hour and a half. Then, cheese makers cut the curd to very small cubes (called “grains”) and leave them untouched to drain. To be labeled as certified D.O.C. artisanal, cheese has to be aged for at least 100 days. This is a very strict European cheese law that is taken very seriously. During its maturation process, olive oil and paprika are rubbed on the rind not only for aesthetics but also for imparting minute flavor molecules into the cheese proteins. Ibores is slightly sharp and very grassy with a creamy finish that is very pleasant. It pairs well with bold reds or whites, preferably a reasonably priced Chateau Doyac Medoc 2009. It also pairs very well with dark bock beers and Bocktober beers. If you’d like to experience how exceptional this cheese can be, we suggest trying the following recipe. It’s simple and delicious.
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Ibores and Marona Crusted Chicken Ingredients: 1 cup flour 2 eggs beaten 1 Tablespoon Buttermilk 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts Breading: 1 cup panko 1/2 cup finely crushed Spanish Marcona Almonds 2 teaspoons smoked sweet Spanish paprika 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary 1 cup grated Ibores Salt & Pepper to taste Butter or Olive Oil, for frying Directions: First, salt and pepper your chicken. Combine the eggs and buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, combine the panko, almonds, paprika, rosemary, Ibores, salt and pepper. Dredge the breasts in flour, and then dip it into the egg and buttermilk liquid. Then dip into the breading, coat completely and evenly.Pan fry on medium-high heat with some butter or olive oil. Fry for four minutes on each side, or more depending on thickness. Thicker cuts of chicken take longer to cook. Ibores goes well with some slow herbed roasted potatoes, roasted shallots and grilled asparagus with a brown butter Jamon Serrano sauce.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1p.m. every saturday WHERE: Alhambra, 519 S. 13th St . McAllen
EVERY SATURDAY 3-4:30 pm
Harlingen Farmer’s Market downtown ON “A “ Street between Jackson and Monroe www.harlingenfarmersmarket.com
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Art Rodriguez
Film
JOHN OF THE DEAD Directed by The Vicious Brothers Cast: Sean Rogerson, Juan Riedinger, Ashleigh Gryzko, Mackenzie Gray, Merwin Mondesir, Bob Rathie, Ben Wilkinson, Luis Javier, Arthur Cober Released: 2011
their seats—something that rarely happens these days. The final act is slower, allowing for the events of the first hour to soak in before a harrowing climax.
I
The protagonists are used well. Some are meant to bicker under the pressure, others to be tortured mentally or physically and all are meant to die, so what’s not to like about this exciting character play from freshman writers/directors The Vicious Brothers. There are some silly ideas thrown into this piece that lack explanation and can be a bit illogical (even for a supernatural film), but a truly serious effort allows viewers look past them without issue. They were not directed/executed in silly fashion, which was a smart decision and one of the directors’ many strengths.
I went into this film with fairly low-to-mediocre expectations. Most found footage films of recent years have not living up to the hype. I am glad to say that I was dead wrong about this one. My expectations were greatly surpassed. Don’t you love it when you get much more than you expect in a situation where more is better? Grave Encounters was my source of such pleasure.
It’s a fantastic directorial debut. They create an ideal atmosphere by employing skin-crawling sets and using camerawork that kept the audience out-of and in the loop at the right times. This is a rare occurrence in POV films, as only the great ones use this style of filming to potential. The Vicious Brothers did so on their first attempt. The camerawork delivers some of the best scares I have seen, and in a very simple yet creative fashion that scares just right.
have never been a fan or even an active viewer of past and present paranormal TV shows. They never show anything concrete, so it’s best to not bother with them. But when I heard about Grave Encounters, my interest was piqued. The indie movie is shot in the style of a reality television show, and promises viewers a chance to see the ghosts they may have missed on TV.
It began with a disclaimer from the producer, stating that the footage is real and was found after the crew mysteriously vanished. I knew then to turn off my brain and hope for the best, something that I never mind doing in this genre. I suggest you do, too, if you decide to give this one a go. Grave Encounters began as an attempt to shoot a TV episode for a program of the same name. Host Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson) and his crew began filming an episode in the abandoned Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, a hot spot for unexplained phenomena over the years. Lance locks himself and his crew inside the hospital for the night and sets up surveillance equipment to capture every image and sound. However, they soon learn that they have vastly underestimated the hospital. Things take off fairly quickly in this 90-minute experience. It starts with simple but effective horror and then kicks up tension until viewers are given some downright awesome scares that leave them jumping in
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While horror was its strong point, the solid performances complemented the terror and gave it a feeling of a “reality” show, making a more engaging final product. Audiences get a fair amount of gore, balanced in creative fashion, showing that these brothers really do have a solid future in the genre if they can replicate what audiences were given in this film. Grave Encounters is an awesome horror experience that finally gives us a “reality” TV show with real results, even if the characters pay for it dearly. Despite some silly ideas, the storyline manages to stay mature in its execution, and The Vicious Brothers do a fantastic job directing. They provide intense horror that I never expected, making this not only an underestimated film, but also one of the best films this year.
Rating: 8/10
www.johnofthedead.com
Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Visit us at Desireesspa.com
1921 E. Harrison Harlingen, Tx. 78550
956.425.3303 T.D.S.H.S, License # ME 1805
ours of Operation: urs of Operation:
n-Thurs: Thurs:- 6:00pm 0am m - 6:00pm
0am - 6:00pm m - 6:00pm
m - 4:00pm 0am - 4:00pm
Buy a Float or MilkShake get one FREE
Ol D’s
105 W. Jackson Harlingen, Tx.
Photo: Edgar Montemayor Garcia Makeup/Model : Art Garcia Pineda
Floral Arrangements for Weddings, Special Events and your home.
Beautiful Designs Contact Alma Garza 956-245-3258 beautifuldesignsbyalma@gmail.com
by Alma
R C HOME IMPROVEMENT FREE ESTIMATES QUALITY CLEAN WORK AFFORDABLE PRICES “YOUR GENERAL HANDYMAN” for all your needs specializing in: Tile, Ceramic, Wood, Laminate, and Carpet Flooring Interior Painting and Design Exterior Painting rudygarza56@gmail.com for more information call Rudy Garza
John 3:16
(956) 200.6602
Come Meet the Bert Ogden Family!
• Draperies • Blinds • Bed Spreads “Free Estimates” 214 East Jackson Readers Choice VMS, and 4 Truffles in enCORE
Steve Aune Office: 428-4331
Dear Luna, There are parts of me that I don’t understand. Sometimes I feel restless and off balance. Where does this come from?
I am looking out my bay window when an electrifying bolt of lightning lights up the sky. The howling wind outside seems to whisper, “Something wicked this way comes”. All Hallows’ Eve approaches and my spirit is restless; it feels alive. The Wild Self is emerging from my soul. Many of you know what I’m talking about - That wild spirit within us that we must keep calm. Well, it wasn’t settling for calm right now. It wants to be noticed; it needs some attention. This wild spirit is a divine part of our instinctual nature, and it is embodied in different ways. For some, it is the werewolf, a passionate and fierce spirit whose strength protects and guides. The fire of the werewolf burns deep within the soul. This is our warrior self. For others, it is the witch, la Bruja. This is the old soul, the keeper of secrets, the healer. This is the visionary, whose third eye shines bright with understanding and intuition. We call it our wise self. Then there is the wild spirit that is sensual and melancholic. This is the vampire. It is dark, mysterious and fierce. This is the courageous and bold spirit that dives deep into the unknown waters of the soul to illumine itself. Finally, there is the beloved Frankenstein, that unique and awkward spirit that dares to see the beauty in the world; it dares to be unapologetically different for the sake of growth--the extraordinary self. Sometimes we are one and sometimes we are all. Yes, these creatures we speak of live in myths, fairy tales and stories, but they are also real within us. They help us understand the powerful, passionate, creative and sometimes difficult forces that our spirit holds. These different aspects of our self help us reconnect with our wild self, that which is fertile and creative, magical and authentic. So, dear readers, on this All Hollows’ Eve, bare your spirit to the earth and let the winds guide its path to its true self, and let it shout: Something brilliant this way comes! …Love you, all of you.
Your Community News LFN, LLC dba
Cultural Arts Source
(956) 367-1049 encore.w9@gmail.com
(956) 233-9928
www.thelosfresnosnews.com
(956) 797-9920 www.thelaferianews.com
(956) 233-9928
www.theriohondonews.com
Classif Ieds Norwegian Harp Seals in need of a good home. Also in need of a bold change in international ecological policy enforcement. 5555555 HELP! My metal band needs a new guitarist! Must love Yngwie Malmsteen and hate Depeche Mode. 555-5555 Medium - Advanced knitting lessons. Only $30 a month! Includes free “personalized” scarf, mittens, wool underwear, & sweater! 555-5555 Lost Dog! Our Chocolate Lab Rupert is missing. We love him very much and are offering a $400 reward. Our other dog Mr. Wiggles is also missing. If seen, please do not approach. If you’re reading this, you’re very bad and we do NOT miss you Mr. Wiggles! 555-5555 A recent Alpaca escape has lead to the first annual “Catch Em’ N’ Keep Em’” Alpaca festival in Olmito! Free Alpaca’s in need of a good home and a truck owner! 555-5555 24 Blue Jays and one Woodpecker attached at the ankles through a bizarre and inhumane experiment can be yours for only $68! Free 25-beak automatic water feeder not included. 555-5555 I saw you at La Paletera. Your corn cup was even larger than my own. I knew we were meant for each other. However, I just locked myself in my own restroom, so I’ll need a rain-check... 555-5555 1944 Ford Model-T model for sale. Model made in India in 2009. Only $19.44. 555-5555 Autographed copy of Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” on vinyl, signed by John Lennon and Buzz Aldrin. Only three left! $275 555-5555 Have you seen my uncle? The last time we saw him was in the restroom at Whispers. He kept going on and on about how happy he was, and now we haven’t seen him in three days. Please help! He answers to “Stinky Pete.” 555-5555
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POETRY Dragon Queen by Amanda Lee Calderon
Ambas se casaron a los trece anos Hermanas de la frontera en vestido de novia de otra persona Andrajoso y sucio de saltar valla
The air is sweet and undeniably tempting, your touch has corrupted me and I can’t seem to stop thinking of you, the fire in your eyes leaves me mesmerized, Daniel García Ordaz the smell of your musk is cruel and intoxicating, The bus driver got lost and arrived instead like a dirty dream I wait for you, at a place in ruins somewhere in México. and leave my window open for you to surreal Mexico crawl in through, The México that exists in dreams? I patiently wait for you to take me tonight, to drag me into your spell again, ~Julieta Corpus I surrender unto you, to kidnap my everwaking pleasures, The bus driver got lost and arrived and show me the passion you hide, for I painted a picture for you, Arrived instead at a place the fragrence of old flowers and paint A place in ruins hypnotize me, for I am your Queen and you my kind A place somewhere in México—surreal kindred King, México, together you and I are a hot heatwave, The México that exists and together we destroy the bitter lives we have to live, In dreams. for you are so tempting to me that I need you everynight, In dreams about masks and death forever, till the day I die...... Deathly ill Frida and her changos forever, we shall lie Changos with sunflowers and blue skies
“Frida y Sus Sueños”
Blue skies bloodied with red parrots. Hermanas de la Frontera by Mario Leal Jr Ella se parece a su abuela La hermana de la frontera que se quedo Fue la hermana que se suicidio? O la de la lisiada pata que vende chicles? Aprendieron echar mantequila en tortilla en la misma manera En un pueblo de montana al otro lado de Dios sabe donde Rios Cruzan sobre su piel de papel marron Los mismos que cruzo En mitad camino antes que le digieran que se regresara Ella se parece a su abuela Pero el anonimato razas banalidad Una hermana vende queso de cabra a la otra Y vive en casa de lata, porque todos sus hijos murieron No en borde de color rosa construido por diez Ella se parece a su abuela
Red parrots attacking your skin Your skin peeling away like molten lava Molten lava swallowing the moon The moon shining on skulls on murals. The bus driver got lost and arrived Arrived instead at a place
A place in dreams about masks and death Deathly ill Frida and her changos Her changos attacking your skin Your skin peeling away like molten lava
Molten lava that exists only in surreal México Surreal México bloodied with blue skies Blue skies and the moon shining on skulls on murals The moon shining on skulls in dreams.
calendar
October Events Mon
Sun
Tue
*for even more events “like us”
PAPA JOE’S BURGERS & STUFF 422 N. L ST, HARLINGEN 956.364.3422
Facebook.com/encoreArts Give us your schedule artist/venue
encore.w9@gmail.com 2
CINE EL REY 311 S. 17TH, McALLEN 956.971.9825
3
4 FREE Movies & Popcorn” @7pm-10pm “Tuesday Night Music Club” 10pm - 2am FREE info 956-278-0626
Sunday The French Movie Club meets @12pm-3pm FREE
dia de los muertos exhibit opens
HARLINGEN ARTS & HERITAGE MUSEUM 2425 BOXWOOD, HARLINGEN 956.216.4900
1900 W Nolana Ave, Mcallen, TX (956) 682-0123 imasonline.org
9
10
16
17
11
FREE Movies & Popcorn” Tuesday Night Music Club
18 FREE Movies & Popcorn” @7pm-10pm “Tuesday Night Music Club” 10pm - 2am FREE info 956-278-0626
THE HOP SHOP 923 S. 7TH (corner of 7th/Commerce) HARLINGEN 956.428.4200
24
23
25 FREE Movies & Popcorn” @7pm-10pm “Tuesday Night Music Club” 10pm - 2am FREE info 956-278-0626
Bush live at pharr event center
Ol ‘Ds 105 W. Jacson Harlingen, Tx.
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Real estate foR eveRyone BuyErs - sEllErs - rEnTals - CommErCial
REALTY INC.
R E A LT O R S Connie de la Garza, Broker 503 E. Harrison, Harlingen, Texas
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat 1
Chris Jordan “Running the Numbers” WhenSep 1, 2011 – Jan 1, 2012
THE CHIMIES
Clark Gallery , please call IMAS at (956)682-0123.
Saturday Regional DJs 10pm-2am FREE
5
6
live music
7
8
“The Wrestling Revolution” @8pm “Wednesday NightComedy” @9pm-11pm $10 info 956-278-0626
orig artist showcase9pm “Encore Friday Night Comedy” @9pm-11pm $10 “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” @12am-2am $10 info 956-278-0626
orig artist showcase9pm
live music
Wednesday Night Comedy 9pm-11pm
SUPERTREE
12
14
13 live music
Saturday Regional DJs 10pm-2am FREE
15
“The Wrestling Revolution” @8pm
live music
PHILOSOPHER DAVE
live music “Encore Friday Night Comedy” @9pm-11pm $10 “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” @12am-2am $10 info 956-278-0626
orig artist showcase9pm
19
“Wednesday NightComedy” @9pm-11pm $10 info 956-278-0626
live music
20
live music
21
“The Wrestling Revolution” @8pm
“Encore Friday Night Comedy” @9pm-11pm $10 “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” @12am-2am $10 info 956-278-0626
orig artist showcase9pm
26
27 live music
Supertree rack daddys brownsville
28
live music
live music “The Wrestling Revolution” @8pm
orig artist showcase9pm
22
CHRIS RIVERA
live music
“Wednesday NightComedy” @9pm-11pm $10 info 956-278-0626
Saturday Regional DJs 10pm-2am FREE
“Masquerade Ball” benefit “The McAllen Music Theatre Company @6:30pm-9pm “Encore Friday Night Comedy” @9pm-11pm $10 Rocky Horror @12am-2am $10 info 956-278-0626
29 costume party PHILOSOPHER DAVE
dead icons halloween party 9pm