Table of Contents RKYV # 55 {spring 2013} RKYV ONLINE LOGO David Marshall {current} r. j. paré {modified} Roy G. James {original}
World View - “Modern Conservatism: The intersection of Libertarian Selfishness and Fundamentalist Bigotry.” - by r.j. paré,
Virtual Covers # 55 - Design/Layouts by David Marshall & r. j. paré
On Writing - “Walk This World” - by Mick Edwards
Interior Art - by r. j. paré, Kevin Curtis Barr, Stephen Gibb, Josh Bowe, Mike Grattan, James ‘Jig-One’ Titman, Matias Basla, Aman Arora, Beverly Bailey, Daniel HDR, Corinne Vuillemin Editorial Column - “At the Outset: A Few Thoughts from the Editor” - by r. j. paré
Featured Artist Review - Odd Man - by r. j. paré Indie Comic - “Spider-Man #300 Retold” a FCBD homage. - by Bobby Foster, Jason Dougherty, Amanda Miller. - “Justice League of Hanna Barbera” - by Daniel HDR
by Mike Grattan
Short Fiction - “Chopper” - by Richard Evans Poetry - by Wanda VanHoy Smith, Frances Nichols Vargas, r. j. paré Pop Culture - “Stop The Madness!” - by Darke Raven - “IMO” - by r. j. paré - “Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons” - by Pauline Paré
At the Outset _______________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE _ Printed as PDF | Spring 2013 | rkyv.online@rogers.com _ آ
A few thoughts from The Editor… by r. j. paré Welcome back, Your dreams were your ticket out. Welcome back, To that same old place that you laughed about. Welcome Back Kotter – John Sebastian Some of you might be wondering where I’ve been. Ok, not really, you’ve been wondering where RKYV has been – I’m just the putz that facilitates its delivery into your sweaty, pop-culture inhaling, art-lit craving, hands. I’m cool with that and guess what? I’ve missed each and every one of you, even the annoying ones who insist on hurling pebbles at my window during the night, just so I’ll look out and see them with wearing their vintage pea coat and holding a goofy retro ghetto-blaster over their heads in an effort to drag me out of my doldrums. All right already, no need to go full John Cusack on me – I’ll come back. All joking aside it has been a very difficult stretch for our family these last couple years [downsizing leading to loss of jobs, depression and foreclosure on our home]. But how does that old line go? When you can't run, you crawl, and when you can't crawl - when you can't do that... You find someone to carry you. Joss Whedon Many thanks go out to our friends, and family, who have helped us through this period. This issue, and those to come, are dedicated to those who stuck with us through thick and thin.
It is my pleasure to present this issue’s featured artist Odd Man, the talented & witty host of his own internet radio program –
Mad World Radio.
If you have not listened to MWR yet, stop what you are doing and do so right now! It’s ok, we’ll wait… There, see what you’ve been missing? Returning with us in this latest edition, we have our thoughtful & satirical columnists, Darke Raven and Pauline Paré and some new poetic verse from Wanda VanHoy Smith, Frances Nichols Vargas & yours truly – r. j. paré – for you to [hopefully] enjoy. Richard Evans has also penned a compelling short fiction piece “Chopper”, as part of his “White Zombie Stories” – which we’ll be serializing over the course of the next few issues. Serious kudos must be accorded, as well, to the talented artists [credited throughout this edition] who continue to share their amazing work with us. Their contributions are the starting point for every edition of RKYV’s design aesthetic! For more RKYV entertainment than we can fit into a PDF, look no further... LOL. We have got some fun and engaging sites set up for you by the ever-intrepid RKYV staff. RKYV twitter feed – text us with your feedback! http://twitter.com/#!/RKYVOnline Darke Raven’s RKYV Blog & Pod Casts – vote for your favourite segments! http://rkyvrevue.blogspot.com/ Official RKYV Blog – send us your comments, questions & suggestions! http://rkyv.blogspot.com/ RKYV Editorial Video Blog – watch me act the fool and hype the Zine! http://www.youtube.com/user/RKYVONLINE RKYV ONLINE Facebook Group – post submissions and chat with contributors! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2399067108
Jess B&W 10 – by Josh Bowe
World View _____________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 World View
Modern Conservatism : The intersection of Li bertari an Selfishness and Fundamentali st Bigotry. by r. j. parĂŠ I've never understood the mind-set of those who advocate the "Ayn Rand" world view. Do they really want to live in that dystopia? Why should a mediocre sci-fi novelist be elevated as philosophical voice the far right? {Answer: they'd make more money and could care less how many lives it would cost} Ayn Rand subscribes to the extreme libertarian/capitalist doctrine of Social Darwinism - which is so utterly callous as to, honestly, not be worth arguing in a developed nation. "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." - Margaret Thatcher No, the problem with Crony Capitalism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. Socialism takes from the wealthy - Crony Capitalism takes from everyone else... "Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill Rather, Crony Capitalism is the philosophy of greed, the creed of arrogance and the gospel of the selfish. Its inherent flaw is blindness towards the misery of others.
Poor people, starving people, sick people - should NOT have to wait on the charitable whim of a wealthy, fortunate person - in order to survive. We had that once upon a time - it was called Feudalism - and it is what wealthy people are truly advocating when they preach Libertarian dogma. They dream of a time when everything from roads to literacy will only be available to the privileged few who have the wealth to afford them. Their ideal land is one in which no law, save that which can be enforced by private security, would exist. But neither extreme is ideal and there already exists a better socioeconomic model.
Social Capitalism [as practiced in Social Democracies] has been a brilliant and effective compromise that, many, developed nations have chosen. The social welfare of the masses is looked after with universal access to health care and education - while private enterprise/entrepreneurship and the free market are still encouraged and in fact still thrive. “24/7 Wall St. analyzed the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Better Life Index to objectively determine the happiest countries in the world. The Index is based on 11 measurements of quality of life including housing, income, jobs, community, education, the environment, health, work-life balance, and life satisfaction.” “The happiest countries seem to be places where there is a good balance of work and leisure time. Not all nations can afford to keep unemployment low through government subsidies. Not all countries can afford to provide universal medical coverage. Not all countries can afford to educate almost all of their children, which in turn supports extremely high literacy rates and builds a population of skilled workers.” - Michael B. Sauter, Charles B. Stockdale, Douglas A. McIntyre
Most countries, post WWII, that have adopted such systems, have also consistently demonstrated a higher quality of life than those that have not. In fact, the top 5 happiest places to live, according to 24/7 Wall Street’s analysis of the OECD Better Life Index, are all social democracies: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Denmark Canada Norway Australia The Netherlands
“Don’t tread on me!” hollers the Tea Party as they describe everything from environmental laws, business regulations and taxes spent on social programs – as inherently “unfair” because why should “they” have to pay for all the “lazy moochers”? They’re oblivious to the fact they have benefited as much from living in this society as everyone else. I will tell you what is "unfair" – it’s that the game is rigged. Not between the poor and the middle class... or even the moderately wealthy. No the game is rigged between the 1% and everyone else. That being said - I've never understood how anyone can say, with a straight face, "I'm a self-made such & such..." LOL Sorry, as much as one owes their success to hard work, dedication and talent - they also owe it to environment, opportunity and support.
Unless one can claim they lived their entire lives on a deserted island, where they foraged for food and learned all they know by observation – they aren’t entirely “self-made”. We all know darned well that the more advantages one has, early in life, the more successful they will be. These advantages may consist of many things, from wealth and connections to just being born in a land where a quality public education is guaranteed and being fortunate enough not to have too many obstacles hurled in your path along the way [abusive parents, crime ridden neighbourhood, disability etc]. While the possibility always exists that some few will still be successful, despite numerous disadvantages, when one looks at the population as a whole, it is plainly obvious that more advantages increases one’s chances of being a success in life. That is why those of us on the left despise crony capitalism.
The myth of the rugged individualist - by r.j. paré
Ya… but if someone kills a white person, liberals think they need "help and understanding." But if they kill a black person, then liberals think they should be strung up in the middle of the town. - angry conservative ranting online
I see that sort of deflection, all the time, used to hide real motives. When young Trayvon was killed, for example, the first thing a bunch of conservatives did was comment: "how come liberals aren't protesting the fact that a white guy died last week?" or "how come the media don't care that some black guys robbed a store in my neighbourhood?" yada yada yada... In reality what they are saying is: "THEY aren't like US, so please don't CARE if any of THEM die." It is the mantra of ethnic hate. Now, if you point this out, be prepared, the right-wing has a ready-made retort: “There wasn’t anything factually wrong with those statements, was there? Calling us racist just shows your own intolerance of other points of view!” That’s right, apparently, pointing out bigotry, in their warped and fevered minds, should be considered bigotry in its own right. As to the former, yes there’s something factually wrong about such statements. Firstly, it’s an absurd generalization claiming that "liberals", as some sort of homogeneous group, are guilty of some prejudice in regards “not caring” about crimes against white people. Secondly it is designed to steer a debate on morality & justice - into one of racial prejudice – specifically, claiming there exists a disproportionate concern when African Americans are killed than liberals show when Caucasians are killed.
Which brings us to the latter claim, that exposing intolerance and hate constitutes intolerance itself: this is a common rhetorical ploy, used extensively in white supremacist forums like Stormfront. To be honest, speaking as a liberal myself, I could care less what colour a person's skin is when a tragedy occurs. This is how the far right tries to divide the public though. They will twist meaning and endlessly segue into separate “complaints� in the hopes of using fear and ignorance to build a broad enough base to empower their regressive agenda. Either you believe a Just Society is one in which we care and safeguard the less fortunate amongst us or you do not. Either you believe that Health and Education are fundamental human rights or you do not. Either you want to live in a country where vast income disparity leads to crime and violence or you do not. These are our choices. I choose to live in a land where we all pursue prosperity together rather than wilfully leave so many behind. Peace out.
by Mike Grattan
Interview _______________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 Featured Artist Review
Odd Man & Mad World Radio by r.j. parĂŠ
About Odd In his own words: Family man, Host, Friend, Sexual Tyrannosaurus, Minister, Nose Picker, Name Caller, Creative Genius and Lovable Goof. These are words that describe me. Notice that "Liar" isn't one of them. There's a reason for that. I am what I am. I am a father and a husband. I run an internet radio show called Mad World Radio. I have been called many names by people who just couldn't handle the fact that I am an honest man. I do, however, find joy in watching the naysayers spin their wheels though. It's funny to do nothing and watch people get pissed off about it to the extent that it consumes them. I also enjoy making people laugh and spreading my own brand of insanity. Like every other person I want to make my mark on the world, but unlike most I am actually working towards trying to spread thought and idea in to an otherwise dying stream of consciousness. Plus I throw in a dick and fart joke every now and again. r.j.p: For the uninitiated, what is a podcast? A podcast is a radio styled show that is pre-recorded and posted for consumption by the masses at their leisure. What I do, isn't exactly a podcast since we broadcast live. We do post the shows for later consumption, but the initial episode is always done live. r.j.p: What is "Mad World Radio"? What isn't it? This show has grown and changed a lot over the 5 years I have been doing it. It's equal parts awesome and insanity. We cover a lot of stuff on MWR, we're fans of live music so we try to get that going as much as possible on the show. It's basically my brain in a digital audio format.
I had to find my groove, as I said it's changed a lot since April 1st 2007. The site itself has also morphed quite a bit. Its current incarnation is both the home for the radio broadcast and a blog for random posts and such. We are really trying to build a little community there. It's like pulling teeth getting folks to comment and interact so if you check out the site, please leave comments and tell me what you're thinking. I even allow submissions and plan on starting some video projects that will require reader/listener participation.
Bob Smethers & Odd Man r.j.p: How did you become involved with the Phonetic Bells Network? Well back in March of 2007 I was asked by the original owners if I wanted my own show. I had been commenting on their blog posts/show topics for a few months and they ended up liking what I had to say and saw a great response from my comments. Fast forward to today and I am now the owner, the original guy couldn't keep doing it AND try to eek out his living. So he handed over the reigns to me. I then revamped EVERYTHING and started bringing on new DJ's with the attempt to grow into a full fledged radio network. Sadly, some of the DJ's and I didn't see eye to eye and we parted ways. Then the network server stream imploded on me and as a network I went on a year hiatus to regroup. We are now back and better than ever. Currently looking for new shows and DJs that want to be a part of what we do.
r.j.p: Did you study broadcasting or journalism in school? No, I wanted to. I had designs on going to Specs Howard here in Detroit when I got out of High School. Life got in the way as it often does with dreams. Thankfully I was given a second chance to do what I wanted to, without all the hoops. As for journalism, I have always been opinionated and rather well written/spoken so it was a natural fit. My approach to life wouldn't fit into traditional journalism; I am straight forward and often a bit abrasive with my honesty. Plus my opinions can't be bought. r.j.p: Can you tell us a little about producing Mad World Radio - who is on the team and what does each person bring to this creative production? I use to say this this was a one [person] production, but that just isn't the case. I have en extensive network of contacts that I tap for various different tasks. For the most part it is me doing the bulk of the heavier lifting. My wife handles the Bookings and Sales, she also is responsible for interfacing with the bands when they contact us regarding airplay. Not to mention I have her cohost the shows with me. Then there are my amazing friends who have all put sometime in behind the mic, one in particular is usually always with us for our Sunday night broadcasts. I bounce ideas off several people usually too; it's awesome having that kind of creative network to act as a buffer to pitch through. Often I'll have friends come in and do v/o (voice over) work for commercials too. Oh, I almost forgot, and yes I know that I shouldn't have, my mother is a big supporter of what I do, she is rather crafty and helps out when I get a weird apparel idea. We screen our own t-shirts and we also have this cool product called a Harf. I am grateful for everyone who helps us turn our dreams into realities. r.j.p: Which famous entertainers have influenced you? Why? Oh man, how much space do you have? Ok, first and foremost Lenny Bruce is god in my opinion. He was the father of rough comedy. I urge anyone in the comedy or broadcasting industry to give his autobiography a read. As a kid my mother introduced me to Robin Williams, Gallagher and George Carlin. All three had a tremendous amount of influence on shaping my brand of comedy and ideals. Then you get into broadcasters like Edward R. Murrow who were pivotal in putting forth actual NEWS and not just fluff. Being funny is fine, but being funny and smart with a good dose of ethics is what everyone should aspire for.
r.j.p: How do you market yourself and your show? Social media is king. We shove ourselves down every social media outlet we can. We have also advertised locally in high school play programs and we are currently sponsoring The Michigan Witches Ball. Also we get out and interface with local business owners who then in turn put up flyers or bring us in to host events. Word of mouth still works people. I can't stress that enough, I often hear how much newspapers and magazines or TV and normal radio charges for advertising and it's just ridiculous.
George Tate, Odd and Brian Douglas
You end up paying out the arse for an ad that may reach 2500 people, but most of the time you're lucky to get 10. This is due to people ignoring advertisements. Ever heard of TIVO and I really can't tell you the last time I paid attention to an ad in the paper. r.j.p: I know you are a fan of comics - do you have favourite titles, artists, writers? I love indie comics; one of my favorites is Chew from Image. I also enjoy a lot of Independent titles. I am eagerly awaiting the omnibus for Lackluster World by Eric Adams. There is a locally made comic called IF-X by the Hamtramck Idea Men that is an anthology style comic I enjoy. I also read Darwin Carmichael Is Going To Hell and Oglaf which are online comics. As for writers, I really enjoy Raven Gregory's work on the Grim Fairytales series and the Wonderland series. Plus his original work The Waking was terrific. Also Michael Marcus from the Hamtramck Idea Men, I love the depth of his stories and the art work that accompanies it gives it a cool retro pulp comic vibe. Oh and we must not forget the brains behind Buddha Monkey, RKYV's own r. j. parĂŠ. r.j.p: What do you think of the term "starving artist"? Specifically, does the struggle to pay the bills; to be compensated for one's work; influence what a creator will or won't pursue based on perceived commercial value? Yes and No, I can really only speak for myself on this one. I often struggle with what I put in versus what I get back. It's the nature of the beast when you're an independent business owner or creator. We survive by the skin of our teeth sometimes just to do things with the show [granted not often because I am a very cautious owner]. I have big dreams and tiny bank account which often is a real bummer, but this is what I love and what I have dreamt about doing.
We can't really charge for what we do, but we make up for it through asking for donations (PBS style) or offering merchandise, but even then we want people to actually BUY it so we price it to move. There are ways to be compensated, but it comes down to a matter of commitment or at least the level of commitment you're willing to go with. Do or do not, there is no try ~Yoda r.j.p: You've talked a fair bit on your show about the ongoing struggle between those who wish to keep the internet a medium for the free exchange of ideas/information and those corporate and government types who wish to limit access or control the internet with legislation like PIPA and SOPA - could you maybe clarify your position on the subject for our readers? SOPA, PIPA, ACTA and any other acronyms that strip your freedoms are bad for everyone. I am interested in keeping the net free for guys like me to do what they love. Sure there are a few bad eggs, but there are even more bad eggs in business outside of the net. So are you going to strip away their freedoms too? If so, I think Coke, Ford and Apple might have something to say about that. The internet was founded for the free exchange of ideas and information, if you let things like these bills get turned into laws you have to then ask yourself where will it stop? When will be enough for those in power? We already had a big blow to freedom with NDAA (look it up) and it's a scarier America that we now live in. I urge everyone who reads this both here in U.S.A. and abroad to pay attention to what is going in your governments. They'll try and distract you, you just gotta be THAT much more diligent. r.j.p: Will advancements in computer graphic tablet technology mean the days of paper & pulp are doomed to the realm of fading memories? No. Call me naive or what have you, but I'd like to think that physical mediums will endure. I enjoy reading a book. To put into a slight graphic explanation we can ALL understand. If you take a tablet or e-reader into the bathroom with you, you stand the chance of ruining it if dropped. You'll then be out a couple of hundred dollars versus dropping a book into the can by accident. I'll pay 20 bucks to replace a soggy book. Also, am I the only one who has ever barred down on book for a more difficult push?
r.j.p: Do you find it difficult to stay motivated/inspired? There are times when the darkness and despair take over. Moments when I feel completely alone and ignored, but that's part of it isn't it? You just got to suck it up and put the best foot forward. Hope for the best and expect the worst. I have no delusions of grandeur* when it comes to this stuff. Kick Ass Family I'll never get rich off it and I'll be lucky to break even, but that isn't why I do this. I do it because I genuinely love what I am doing. I have met so many great people and had a ton of great experiences that have left me with a lifetime of memories. I have gotten to take my friends and family along for the ride. What could be better? The other thing that helps me stay on target is the fact that it's not just about me, we promote the independent spirit and business owner. We offer an affordable advertisement package for the local scene. We showcase bands from all over the country not just Michigan. We're an outlet they might not otherwise have to share their hard work and they are all grateful for it. Also I find motivation in the urge to change how things are done. A lofty goal no doubt, but I can see signs of my style of business being more widely accepted as more people hear my ideas and experience working with me. r.j.p: What do you think of the impact that social networks have had as an alternate means of connecting you, your work and your audience? I'd be dead in the water without them and that's exactly how those in charge want it. Our country (America) use to be all about the little guy building his empire from the ground up, but thanks to politics and greed that just isn't the case anymore. Until the internet came along, now anyone Odd & Lloyd Kaufman can be anywhere. Your store could be in Nowheresville North Carolina, but thanks to the net you can have sales from all over the world. Facebook, twitter and the others all get a bad rap from their security holes and such, but they only have as much info as you give them and for the small business owner they are invaluable tools to reach your consumers/audiences. With out social media a lot of small fish would have died off.
r.j.p: Are there any special episodes you are currently developing? I am always looking forward to bring something a little different to the table. This year we have opened our show up to more of a round table style discussion during our Sunday night topical program (wake the fck up). I have a few shows in mind, one on battling a addiction with a couple of friends who are on the other side of it now. Odd & Otis We also have the goal of putting together a blow-out concert show for the season finale of 2013. We also get the joy of recoding live from Baconfest 2013. Which as an admitted Baco-phile I am totally excited to be a part of. r.j.p: Do you view pod-casting as a long term project/career or do you see yourself using Mad World Radio as a means to get your foot in the door with mainstream media like broadcast radio or television? I will NEVER go to mainstream radio. I couldn't be me and do what I do if I were to ever go there. I won't be censored or tethered to things I don't believe in. I do see it as a viable "career" though because I offer something nobody else can. I have a plan in place to Odd & Kevin Smith work towards getting a real studio and being able to operate both as a radio station and low cost recording studio. I can't describe what it is, but even if I could....You wouldn't believe it anyways because it'd just be seen as hype. There is a testimonials page on the site, but if you really want to know why I am being interviewed and why I have the following I do then I suggest you tune into a live broadcast. All your answers will be there.
r.j.p: Is there anything else you’d like to let our readers know about before ya go? What we are doing is called Mad World Radio Presents: (the subtitle changes). It's a variety show of comedians and musicians. We wanted to help further showcase talent beyond the normal internet based show. So we chose to partner with one of our sponsors, a bar called Andrews on the Corner ( www.andrewsonthecorner.com ) the last Saturday of every month. We bring in 6 to 8 acts and it's a completely free show. So far it's been a hit and we are going to be able to keep doing them there. I have a comic friend of mine as my cohost (Rob Manier, look him up!) and my wife Liz help document the evening via video and photography. I have had a great bunch of talent so far. I want to thank Justin Godell, Harry Artin, Digg Johnson, Bobby Bayn, Tim Majik, Carmel Liburdi, Guy Williams, Michael Crider, Robert Louis, Cindy Young, Nova Green, Zach Stein, Robert Moore and a very special thank you to an unexpected guest at our show in May. We were treated to music from a local legend here in Detroit. Blues musician extraordinaire Paul Miles.
Odd, The Devil and Gin r.j.p: I want to take a moment and thank Odd Man for his patience in awaiting this long-overdue issue and for the occasional social networking “poke in the ribs” to get my shite together and get publishing again…
Bowie – by Mike Grattan
On Writing _____________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 On Writing
“Steve Ditko” So much hoopla over
Jack Kirby I hear, but Steve Ditko seems to get the shaft because people
only recognize him for “allegedly” creating Spider-Man. Having read Ditko's Ted Kord Blue Beetle, the very first issue prior to DC buying Charlton Comics, and having read Ditko's ASM, I have always been floored by his expressive illustrations and his art grew from his time drawing Spider-Man where it had a cartoony flair to more complex.
Blue Beetle
was just a
very bright kid when the role of hero was thrust upon him and using his intellect and rigerious training in martial arts and gymnastics. Blue Beetle became a hero that had that innocent charm of Spider-Man, and the sci-fi gadgetry of Batman. Where as Kirby was known for his archtypical heroes, Ditko created characters with personality, and charm. A shame that DC and now Marvel have taken what was best of his two creations and turned one of them into a corpse and the other into a joke. I think the best part of Ditko's Blue Beetle was he used non-lethal weaponry and had a mood much lighter than Spider-Man. Also, Ditko showed he was not a one trick pony by creating the Creeper with Dennis O'Neil.
Digital Dream manips of Ditko and Kirby – by r.j. parÊ
The Godfather of Flower Power – by Stephen Gibb
_____________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 Short Fiction
WHITE ZOMBIE STORIES
“CHOPPER” By Richard Evans
Virgil had lived above R&Z’s Garage for as long as he could remember. The owner Robbie Watson was a kind man and Virgil liked him very much. Virgil was over six and a half feet tall and as wide as a bull, he’d been that way ever since he reached puberty. He couldn’t remember much from his childhood but Robbie had told the story of how he had found him many times. While throwing out the trash twenty years ago Robbie had thrown open the lid to the large dumpster they used and there he was, a starving little boy with large brown eyes. Robbie was shocked he had to look around and make sure he wasn’t being pranked or something. Who could possibly leave a seven year old child in a dumpster like Cover Art – by Matias Basla that? The boy remained with Robbie while the police hunted for his mother. Unsure of how long he’d be there, Robbie had set him up in a room above the mechanic shop. When the police eventually found his mother she was in no condition to take care of Virgil so he remained with Robbie, working around the shop. Child Services were supposed to take him eventually but Rolla was a small Kansas town and no one ever came. Eventually the apartment above became Virgil’s home. Robbie had asked him to come live with him and his family but Virgil had declined. The apartment above the garage was his first home in his life and he had no intention of leaving it. It was the first place he had ever felt safe. Virgil had grown quite large over the years, wide shouldered and well over six feet tall. Robbie had said jokingly that it was all the corn Virgil ate. The day Virgil had earned his first dollar in the shop he had found a little vegetable stand. He was pulling a small wagon of broken automotive parts to the scrap yard Robbie owned a few miles outside of town. The bushel of corn was only a dollar. Virgil had never had so much food to himself before and he had needed the wagon to bring it back to his apartment. To the homeless son of a junkie this was a feast.
Even though Robbie had insisted that night that he eat with the family, Virgil was eager to get home and cook his corn on a small barbeque he had repaired. It had become one of his many routines to pick up a bushel of corn each week on his way back from the scrapyard. One week when the farmer had gotten sick, Robbie was upset and disappointed and waited at the empty booth for the entire day hoping she would show up. His size had its benefits especially around the shop. But it also brought its share of headaches. The Shop Manager and Robbie’s business partner Zed McCallum hated Virgil. As the boy had grown, Zed’s hatred of him seemed to grow as well. The insults had become harsher and meaner over the years. Although they happened very rarely the physical attacks had also grown in cruelty as well. Virgil rarely felt any physical pain from the bullying but it hurt him on a different level. No matter how hard he tried it seemed Zed was determined to hate him. Virgil was kind-hearted and had never done a cruel thing or said a mean word to another human being in his entire life. Yet he was beginning to feel a sense of disgust around Zed. Virgil did everything he could to avoid being around him. “Niggers don’t know nothin’ about choppers, Robbie.” Zed said. Virgil peaked around the edge of the garage door and looked out. Zed and Robbie stood outside the main garage door having a cigarette together. Robbie shuffled his feet nervously and constantly adjusted his cap on his head. “Zed I’ve told you about using that language in the shop.” Robbie said, looking at the ground. “I’m not talking about our customers, I’m talking about Virgil. You don’t want that boy working on bikes, Robbie.” A week ago Virgil had started rebuilding a motorcycle he’d found abandoned by the side of the road. It was just a frame and it was too big for his apartment but he’d kept it anyway. A young man had been killed in a motorcycle accident that week and his smashed motorcycle was in pieces inside the utility cart Virgil now used for his trips to the scrap yard. He placed the newly found motorcycle frame in his cart and took all of it back to his apartment. Virgil had an uncanny ability to read and absorb information and within a few days he was able to visualize what needed to be done to repair his newfound motorcycle. Robbie thought he was gifted but Virgil wasn’t sure what that meant. He had a way with machines but sometimes he failed to understand the meaning of things people said to him. “He got a fifty year old motorcycle engine running in a week, Zed. Are you still working on those brake pads from last Wednesday?” Robbie said. “What are you talking about Robbie? Are you sayin’ that retard is faster than me?” Zed replied angrily. Of all the cruel words Zed hurled at Virgil either directly or behind his back THAT word was the one he hated the most. Virgil had started reading the dictionary and although it wasn’t as easy as the books about machines, he’d managed to learn what a few of Zed’s words meant. Maybe by definition he was a “nigger”, maybe he was even “slow”. But he certainly was no retard.
Zed was beginning to raise his voice as Robbie just shook his head. Robbie finally caught sight of Virgil and he decided he’d heard enough from Zed. Virgil felt awkward watching them and turned to sweep in the other direction. “Alright Zed, I ain’t talking about this again. If someone wants to hire him, we’ll give him a shot, alright?” Robbie said. Zed through up his hands and stormed off, stomping his feet in the dirt like a child. Virgil couldn’t help feeling that their argument was his fault. A week before Virgil had found a motorcycle discarded by the side of the road. It looked as if it had been ran over by a truck and Virgil did not know if the driver had died or if they had simply tossed it aside once it was no longer usable. Virgil could never understand how supposedly smart people could throw away things that were so easy to fix. Robbie also owned a junkyard that was just on the other side of the corn field that stretched for five miles. He was able to pick up all kinds of spare parts for his new motorcycle there and once he’d cleaned every part of the engine it ran as smoothly as it ever could. Virgil had started rebuilding it in his apartment but he soon realized that there was not enough room up there and Robbie had told him it was dangerous to have an engine running indoors, that Virgil could die, so he was allowed to rebuild the motorcycle on the shop floor. It was exciting that Robbie was letting him work like a real mechanic, with real tools and everything, but it also scared him because the shop floor was Zed’s territory. Zed had burned him the last time he’d taken a tool, whacking him with a copper rod he’d been melting with a welder. Virgil decided he’d wait and talk to Robbie again. The last thing he wanted to do was cause any more fights between the two of them. A couple of days later Robbie knocked on the door of Virgil’s apartment. The door was open so Robbie entered, shouting out Virgil’s name politely. Robbie took off his hat and rubbed his balding scalp. The apartment perplexed him. “Virg? You here Virgil?” Robbie called out. It was so full of neatly organized junk that Robbie couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Robbie kept his hat off even though there was no reason to be formal with Virgil. Robbie was old fashioned and a man took his hat off in another man’s home. Robbie looked around the living room to see what had changed since the last time he was there. Two more televisions were added to the previous two against the wall, giving Virgil four of them stacked together. Robbie doubted he ever watched them. Just like the beaten or chair that sat in front of the televisions, Virgil simply collected them because he believed that was what people did. Robbie had a chair that looked similar in his den in front of the flat screen TV, laid out in a similar fashion to Virgil’s living room. There was one major difference though; Virgil had tables running end to end along the walls of the apartment. On those tables were various electronic and mechanical devices that Virgil had meticulously disassembled. An old radio sat on one of the tables with its parts surgically and
precisely placed next to the housing. Yet on the table next to it was a pile of blenders, various models from different era dumped together into one big mess. Robbie knew there was a logical method behind Virgil’s habits but he could not figure out what it was. “Over here Robbie.” Virgil shouted from the spare room. Robbie walked into the room and saw Virgil sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the motorcycle frame. The engine was already attached but Virgil seemed to be perplexed by something. “You leaving for the day Robbie?” Virgil asked, not looking up from the bike. Robbie sat down on the floor next to him and stretched out his legs. “Yeah. But I wanted to make sure you could move this thing okay on your own. Down to the shop, you know.” Robbie replied. “Yeah. I can. Thanks.” Virgil gave Robbie a big grin and continued to remove one of the bolts with a wrench. “You know you can use the shop tools too, to fix this thing up?” Robbie asked. Virgil nodded his smile fading. “What is it Virgil?” “Is Mr. Zed okay with that?” Virgil asked. “He sure doesn’t like me touching his tools.” Robbie put his hand on Virgil’s shoulder. “Well Zed is certainly no mister; let’s get that out of the way right off the jump. And he may be the shop manager, but he ain’t the boss. I am. Okay?” Virgil nodded but he did not seem convinced. Robbie rubbed his shoulders with his right hand for a couple minutes and then used the larger young man to pull himself to his feet. “You want to come over for dinner tomorrow?” Robbie asked as he stretched out his back. “Sure. Wait. No. Thank you.” Virgil replied. “I want to work on this. Zed said niggers don’t know anything about motorcycles. But I read all those books over there.” Virgil pointed to a large pile of old books, some of them fifty years old, their spines shattered and tattered.
“Virgil, Zed says a lot of dumb things. Part of being an adult is learning to ignore all the fools out there.” Robbie said. He put his hat back on and pulled the brim down low over his eyes. “Trust me Virgil, there are a lot of fools out there. I’ll see you Monday morning.” First thing Saturday morning Virgil was up and moving the parts for his motorcycle downstairs to the shop. Zed was still unlocking all the doors when he saw Virgil carrying the pieces down, the large man already sweating. “Good morning.” Virgil said as he walked passed Zed and set the parts down in a corner of the shop. Zed ignored him, loudly sipping his hot coffee as he opened the doors to the offices. The staircase to Virgil’s apartment was inside the building but separate, running up the inside of the building around the corner from the front entrance. The large motorcycle frame was almost too big for the stairwell which is why Virgil had left it to the end. He went as slowly as possible, trying to avoid scrapping the walls. When he reached the bottom he sat the bike skeleton down on the ground, wiping the sweat from his forehead. As he rubbed his eyes Zed suddenly came around the corner, unaware of the frame underfoot. With a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other he could not catch himself and he smashed his ankles into it. Zed flew forward, hitting the ground hard in spray of coffee as the cup burst open. Virgil could only stand there watching as Zed slowly got to his feet. It had happened so fast that Virgil wasn’t even quite sure what had happened or where Zed had come from. The anger and hatred in Zed’s eyes as he whipped around to face Virgil made the big man step back slightly. Zed crushed his now empty cup and tossed it aside. “You listen to me Virgil. Keep your stupid ass and all your stupid garbage away from me and my shop. You got it?” Zed said. Virgil nodded in agreement but Zed continued to stare at him. He wondered if Zed was going to hit him, he’d done it before but not since he’d grown so big and broad. Virgil felt sure he was going to strike him but instead Zed relit his cigarette. “It ain’t even worth it, beating on you.” Zed said as he turned around. “It’s like beating a dumb dog.”
--- To be Continued… ---
By Corinne V uillemin - crayons de papier/pencils on paper A4 (Juillet 2010)
_______________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 Indie Comic
_______________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 Indie Comic Randy Paré: Not too long ago, a Brazilian artist named Daniel HDR posted an image for a concept he called
“The Justice League of Hanna Barbera,” which took a variety of characters from different Hanna Barbera cartoons and brought them together as a new team. I asked Daniel if he could share this image with RKYV and he graciously agreed and provided us with a step by step look at creating the illustration.
Daniel HDR: While talking with my friend site DC Multiverse [http://www.multiversodc.com/v2/], we recalled the classic superheroes of Hanna-Barbera: Space Ghost, Bird-Man, Mightor, The Herculoids, Galaxy Trio, among many others. These characters had never interacted in the animations from 60’s & 70’s.
But a whole universe was exploited by producers when some of the characters appeared on Adult Swim in Space Ghost - Coast to Coast and Harvey (Bird Man) Lawyer. Justice League + mood = the unforgettable written by JM DeMatteis, Keith Giffen and uniquely illustrated by Kevin Maguire (who I had the pleasure of meeting on my return to New York Comic Con 2011). In the classic cover of # 1, Maguire showed the characters of the team being seen from above, and all characters looking to the reader, in an ironic way.
It was then that I decided to do a double homage: to that cover and the classic superheroes from Hanna-Barbera.
Top: The Young Samson and his lion Goliath, Man-Vapor, floater and Meteor Man (The Galaxy Trio), Tara, Igoo and Zandor, the Herculoids.
Center: Bird Man and his eagle Avenger, Space Ghost.
And here is my Justice League Saturday morning :) Bottom: The Blue Falcon and Dynamite , the bionicĂŁo; Mightor;
r.j.p: To follow Daniel and his amazing work – http://danielhdr.wordpress.com/
Poetry _______________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 55 Poetry
Selected Poem by Wanda VanHoy Smith
Numismatics and Philately My neighbor tells me he read that some damn fool coin collector just paid over a million dollars for a rare 1702 penny.
President FDR had a passion for stamp collecting. As did the Prince of Monaco and czars in Russia. King George of England was told by a friend that he heard some damn fool paid over a thousand pounds for a rare postage stamp. The King replied, “That damn fool was me.” I only hope some damn fool will read my collection of poetry.
I reply, “It will be crappy if some baby or puppy swallows such a rare coin” I am surprised to hear that in the year 2012 numismatists still exist. Before TV offered Howdy Doody after school most kids collected something like stamps. baseball cards, comic books and whatever. Cub Scouts earned merit badges for collecting stuff like rocks. Rockhounds are called Petrologists That's probably behind the brilliant idea to sell Pet Rocks on television. Now collecting is discouraged. Parents have a fear of clutter. Newshounds report a thin line between hoarding and collecting and find shame in saving anything just for the fun of it. This would surprise monarchs who enjoyed Philately the “Hobby of Kings”
Choke – by Stephen Gibb
This process seems insane How a complete stranger Someone I never meet in person Or spend time with to get to know Gets elected into a position of authority And one that can decide our fate
Archaic and Insane Drama
Selected Poetry by Frances Nichols Vargas Someone who only reads the highlights Written on paper Spread out for all to see Much of which is negativity
Someone who litigates based upon the immediate need Or next quandary All of the arguments Designed to portray one another as monsters Instead of who they are Life’s once filled by love Now on display to be judged As trampled disgust Little ones who didn’t ask for this drama Suddenly forced to grow up faster and wiser beyond their years To understand life will never be the same And they will be scarred for life Elected official and attorneys Hidden behind closed doors While I sit in agony with thoughts and fears racing through my mind Praying for a speedy and favorable process Only to be told I must pay and come back in a few more weeks
A stranger decides, because he is elected That he can postpone life And hand down judgments based upon Other hired people Who try their best to represent the wishes of all interests A Judge Who listens to more strangers describe In their best opinions the situation Doctors, teachers, and specialists Using unbiased opinions Family and friends doing their best to represent those involved To the best they can describe So they shine bright Counting the days For the next appearance To the next conference And what little will be achieved All the while my nerves are on end Wishing for the process to end Sitting outside the courtroom Praying and wishing For a way to pick up the pieces of what little remains Praying to God for peace and life And all the good that is supposed to come from life Wishing for some sense of relief And Hoping soon for life to return to some sense of normal once again
Seems archaic A group of strangers can decide What our lives will be like In the blink of an eye
King Midas – by Stephen Gibb
Fairy Tale Tragedy
Two forces drawn together By God’s loving angels With trumpets blowing and cherubs thinking A match made in heaven Why- these two could quite possibly be Something quite amazing for all to see To see these two lovers together Wearing their hearts on their sleeves Even thought it was just about as perfect as could be But like all good and well written fairy tales No one would ever have known That the fairytale would go up in a cloud of foggy smoke The dark forces were working hard To tear them apart And would succeed in destroying a heart
Two amazing forces Both tattered and torn Very well worn Dreaming of a kingdom Where only fairy tales could come true Where Kings and Queens And dragon slayers are quite a sight to see Even the beautiful and rare unicorns are roaming free
*Art by Amon Arora
Even the Kings and Kings Disappointed as they would be Couldn’t understand how evil could Work its dark and sad sorcery to shred a love that was So pure Such magic A love that should by all accounts Have endured The devilish details is where the rest of the story lies And the two lovers bid a sad goodbye
Poetic Perspectives by r.j. parĂŠ
SERVICE MARKETING "HELLO," Salutations and inquiries The opening script An introductory gambit Wrapped in pleasant Greetings. "WE'RE NOT AVAILABLE," All preparations frustrated The smooth toned interplay Of practiced pitch
Now interrupted Rapport. "LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE..." Overture to dismissal The automation moves With swift finality Inviting my recorded Petition. "BEEP!"
On Streets Of Gold – by Kevin Curtis Barr
Stop The Madness! by Darke Raven The Death of That Super Character Person... Don't Worry! Be Happy!
You'd think that was simple common sense, that! So my favorite superhero or heroine just died in this comic. I will write my disapproval, drop it from my pull list, and be done with it, right? OK! Now go suggest that to everyone who sent blood warm New Year's Death Threats to Dan Slott over Amazing Spider-Man #700 and the "death" of Peter Parker aka Spider-Man. Wait... he's still ALIVE? Yeah... well until recently. But don't you worry. He'll get over being dead before you know it. Maybe it didn't register with some people (Dan Slott too apparently) but killing heroes like this isn't a new thing! In fact its way, way old school! And, yes, eventually a lot of these characters stopped being dead! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes... well, he tried. But Holmes got over it.
Tolkien killed off Gandalf in LOTR Fellowship of the Ring... he came back, twice as white, in Two Towers. Paramount killed off Spock in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan, only for angry irate fans to demand his resurrection which happened in Star Trek III The Search For Spock in which Kirk's son David died... he's still dead BTW. DC Comics left the fate of Jason Todd aka Robin II in your hands! A gimmick to prove fans didn't hate him that much... they did, and he died. Then Superboy Prime went to another dimension, punched some walls, and Jason Todd stopped being dead, among other ridiculous tripe. Of course if we are talking death then it must be the Death of Superman. He died, Shaq got an S shield tattoo and mourned, and everyone was sad... then a few months later we got a Superboy, Steel, Eradicator and evil Cyborg... oh, and Superman got better. Whether or not Superboy Prime punching walls had anything to do with it or not had anything to do with it remains to be seen, but I like to think Pa Kent was the one who did it, interdimensional wall punching be damned! Iron Man died, but he got better. Batman died, both dead dead and reputation dead after Batman and Robin, but he got better. They even brought back Bucky, Captain America's old sidekick, who was first the Winter Soldier, then Captain America when Steve was killed, then... whatever. Steve's alive again by the way. Even Spidey's Uncle Ben can't stay dead. He's brought back to life every time Spider-Man is rebooted... then promptly killed again to motivate Peter to become Spider-Man... go figure. I could go on but you get the point. So, the next time your favorite character dies? Pour yourself a refreshing drink, maybe a muffin (no pony can be sad if they have a muffin), grab your favorite back issues, don't worry, be happy and‌
stop the madness.
Sam Johnson: “Previous RKYV cover star Geek-Girl is getting new editions of her issue #0!� More details here: http://samjohnson-comics.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/geek-girls.html
Note: As your intrepid editor gets this Zine back onto a, somewhat, monthly schedule I will also be getting caught up on some genre-related movie reviews. I’ve now had the opportunity to watch the following a few times, first on the big-screen, and now on cable.
IMO
by r.j. pare
The Dark Knight Rises - The Review The Nolan Bros. & David S. Goyer set out to write a fitting finale to the current Batman film trilogy. The story has it all: secrets are revealed, twists and turns, a fall and a rise, redemption and a sacrifice... For fans of the Nolan trilogy and the Christian Bale interpretation of the character this film resolves story threads from earlier in the series as well as introducing new characters for potential future stories. The film reflects the era in which it was filmed - a time when people have taken to the streets in protest against a system that allows so few to have so much at the expense of the vast multitudes.
Like all great villains Bane exploits the misery of the masses. He justifies his actions by presenting himself as a revolutionary. Thousands flock to his message as the wealthy are ripped from their beds and dragged in the public square. Bane presents as a
“Robespierre for the new millennia.� He plays at being Che Guevera for Gotham City, except that... It is all a lie - he is in truth a member of League Of Shadows an organization of assassins & terrorists. His reign of terror, as all such reigns thankfully do, ends when the people rise up and reject such extremism in order to re-establish the rule of law. Batman and his compatriots lead the charge... but Bane's army is actually defeated by the freed GCPD - the people of Gotham. Batman has always been a symbol, an idea bigger than the man. As Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne explains to Det. Blake
"anyone could be Batman." And that is where we are left in the uplifting moments of the film's final scenes: a city is doing its best to rebuild; our Dark Knight warrior-hero enjoys his well-earned rewards with his lady fair [Anne Hathaway's fine performance as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman] and the tools of the trade are left in the capable hands of Robin John Blake to carry on the legacy of...
The Batman.
Raised On Saturday Morning Cartoons by Pauline Paré
NETFLIX GETS ORIGINAL Welcome back readers. Much time has passed since I regaled you with my opinions on the world of television. In fact, much has changed on that front over the last decade. As I have mentioned before, people are viewing their chosen programs in a myriad of new ways. The days of people arranging their own lives to watch a favourite television episode in a set one hour block of time is fading. Now, we can digitally record, view on demand or stream from a preferred site. I joined the Netflix bandwagon in early June of 2012 and kept subscribing for the great series I never managed to catch (How I Met Your Mother, Weeds, Freaks and Geeks) and amazing series I had never heard of (Misfits and Sherlock, both from the BBC). Now, Netflix is taking a cue from the remarkable specialty channels such as HBO and Showtime, who make incredibly watchable original series of their own. In 2012, Netflix released its first original series, Lillehammer and in 2013, House of Cards. At first glance, I was impressed that on the premiere dates, an entire season became available on Netflix at the same time. I have to admit to waiting for a season to be over to watch a series because I so enjoy the continuity of watching episodes one after another. My husband describes it as getting into a “watching groove”. The idea of releasing a series of episodes all at once seems fitting because that is the main selling point of Netflix to begin with: entire series, uncut and without commercial breaks. This idea is modern and may very well be the future of TV viewing. The original idea of Neilson families being responsible for the ratings our shows receive is now antiquated. I am looking forward to the day when wonderful programming is not cancelled just because its viewers are firmly planted into the 21st century.
For this article, I decided to sample a single episode from each series to get an opinion on the quality of Netflix’s work. I began by watching the first episode of Lillehammer since it was Netflix’s initial foray into original programming. The episode began in New York at a mob boss’s funeral. Our main character is Frank Tagliano, brilliantly played by Steve Van Zandt of The Sopranos. The setup for the story continues quite predictably until he testifies to spite the new boss and ends up in witness protection. When discussing his placement, he springs a surprise on the feds. He wants to go to Norway, the least likely place that his old friends will search for him. What ensues is a delightful fish out of water story that unfolds with a slow and deliberate pacing that I have come to recognize from European produced television. I have mixed feelings about this format, it works for me only part of the time, but it seems to suit this particular story. We have seen this plot before in other incarnations (Northern Exposure, Green Acres) yet the scenery, the style of filming and the fresh writing makes this version feel unique. I loved seeing into Franks heart and meeting the odd group of people that are now interacting with him. His New York bravado initially seems to land him in hot water, but his street smarts soon pay off. I have since finished watching the first season of Lillehammer and I classify it as a successful attempt on Netflix’s behalf to dive into the often perilous waters of original programming. Netflix first aired the series in Norway and recently commissioned a second season. The Second Netflix series I tried, House of Cards, had already drawn me in with its powerhouse casting. The two lead roles are played by Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Did that get your attention?
This choice of casting says to me that Netflix is serious about its foray into original programming and is planning to give the big networks a run for their money. Of course, cinematography and writing play a huge part in the success of a series so I watched with a critical eye. I quickly found myself drawn into a plot of political intrigue and drama that was paced like and action series where the weapons were replaced by words. Kevin Spacey’s performance was everything you would expect form such a powerful actor. His line delivery as Frank Underwood sent shivers down my spine. Robin Wright performed with the same intensity as Mr. Spacey. Her character was not overshadowed by his performance in any way. The main character is Francis Underwood, the majority whip in congress. When a promotion to Secretary of State falls through, Congressman Underwood sets a risky plan in motion that could destroy many and elevate a few. |This is an adaption of a UK series of the same name and all 13 episodes of the first season premiered on Netflix on February 1st. House of cards was shopped around on all the major movie networks but Netflix outbid the others. It premiered to critical acclaim. Not a bad start for Netflix. These two series will have people taking this new foray into original TV programming very seriously. Entertainment is moving into a new age: some of it is brilliant and some is Honey Boo Boo and the Grumpy Cat movie. I like to think that at least part of this idea that Netflix had, of releasing a full season at once, falls into the first category. Investing my time and love into series like Firefly and Jericho, just to have them cancelled before a resolution, is heartbreaking and frustrating. Who would buy a book that has the last few chapters missing and a blurb at the back that reads “If we sell enough books, the author will write the ending and mail those last chapters to you”? I am sure everyone has a series they felt was cancelled too soon. If this idea became more widespread, we could always be confident we were getting the concluding chapters. [Since I started this article, the Netflix original Hemlock Grove was released. I have to admit to being a little less impressed with this attempt at a supernatural series. I gave it three episodes to grab me and I will not be viewing any further. I was bemused by one scene. There was a werewolf transformation in the third episode that was unlike any I had ever seen. It was slightly grotesque and very intriguing but not enough to make me continue. Not that this will turn me off of trying other Netflix originals. Not every show can be a winner. ]