Spoiler warning: So many Vespas.  Those poor, defenseless Vespas!

     Well, this is the seventh movie in the film series starring Tom Cruise.  I’ve always been a fan of spy stories.  Dating back to the days of Get Smart.  I mean, yeah, there’ve been better shows and films but Get Smart was a lot of fun, god damn it.  Back to Mission Impossible.  I watched the first three movies in the theater, or cinema if you prefer.  Ghost Protocol released at a time when I couldn’t make it out to a theater but Rogue Nation going forward, I’m there.  I don’t just love these films as a fan of espionage stories, they’re fun and well made movies.  A running gag with these movies is the ‘big stunt’ topping the ‘big stunt’ from the previous film.  Yeah, it’s true but that’s just the natural progression of advancement and existence.  That said, this one is pretty fuckin’ sweet!  And while the big stunt always seems to serve as a break from the often heady plot and story of the few or, one, who has the integrity and moral fortitude to do the things no one else can or will, as well as the constitution to be thought a villain for doing what is in fact right…oh yeah, the big stunt doesn’t detract from the storytelling.

     The story in this one is more poignant and contemporary than the previous films.  While those stories dealt more with the security and implementation of intelligence agencies versus other intelligence agencies or rogue elements threatening the assumed way of life for a population, this movie touches on things that had become considerably less “science fiction” since the time this production started.  Playing on the growing ominous climate surrounding the mundane use of artificial intelligence and following through to logical conclusion of that technology this movie shows us a fairly realistic sequence of events based on what we’ve seen of our own human behavior and the logical interpretation of that behavior as it’s observed by an intellect based solely on reason.  It’s too bad humans are dumb as shit and refuse to recognize that they’re not superior to any-damn-thing.  Especially when they make something that, by definition, is smarter than they.  While this doesn’t do much to help my ‘growing fear of robots’(See my stand-up for that bit.) it is a fun movie and I’ve done far worst things to kill a couple hours.

     One of the really interesting components of this story is the recurring topic of how these characters joined the IMF, the why and when they were given ‘the choice’ and then chose to accept.  Throughout the movie there is a distinct sensation that Ethan Hunt is coming to the end of his career with the IMF.  I know, they’ve hinted at that with the end of each movie since MI:III but it never really felt all that much as if the character would cease his espionagey activities but rather it just wasn’t certain that there would another movie.  This one, however, felt specifically different from that.  Revealing aspects of Ethan’s past and juxtaposing that with Grace(Hayley Atwell) in her predicament seemed very much baton passey.  All said, just go watch it.  You know you want to.  What’s it gonna hurt, ya big baby?!

The other day I had the opportunity to watch an advance screening of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. Reviews are embargoed until the fifth so, that’s when I’ll post mine. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I recommend you go watch it first chance you get. And cut out that bullshit of “I’m waiting until it’s all done so I can watch it all at once.” You sound like an idiot and to quote to Abe Simpson: If I don’t support this thing it might not catch on.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done this. A brief explanation, I’m going through some stuff. Mostly the same things I’ve been going through my whole life but some of it has been different and worse. Among other things, I‘m having trouble finding consistent and reliable players for our podcast. I have content I’ll start putting up in the Redstone Diaries feed soon. I have a lot of plans for videos I’m starting on now.

I have a small mountain of Loot Crates that I haven’t opened yet. I’m going to start live streaming as I build some Lego sets and models. I’ve been exploring some new media that I fully intend to use in making props and merch for our table top games. I’m loving the absolute shit of casting resin and I’ve worked out some techniques to make miniature figures and terrain for our podcast games.

Aside from all that, I’m working out some new employment possibilities. Among other things, my financial situation is not great and my current job situation is not quite ideal. More than anything I’m trying to move back to LA so, everything I’m doing right now can’t be drawing me away from that end. That said, I’ll be needing a place to crash in LA within the next six months or so. All offerings of couches for to me to sleep on should be sent to timflood@comedyshedradio.com.

Thanks for the support!

FanX is back again!  I’m so excited!  Hall E is currently open for registration so you can get your wristbands if you waiting too long to buy your ticket like I did.  The panels start running at 1p this afternoon.  I haven’t gotten a clear answer as to when exactly the event floor opens but I would imagine by 1p at the latest.  Per usual, I have a few dozen panels on the docket that I’m very much looking forward.  The fun is already brimming.  

Obviously, I can’t say who among the celebrities are here yet.  A few I’m wanting to meet like Stephen Ames, Steven Weber, and Tim Daly.  It’s always nice to see that name working out well for someone.  I’m really looking forward to finding my muse again.  It’s been so long since I’ve managed to get off my ass and do anything.  Redstone Diaries is coming back.  I’m putting together a team of on-mic, on-screen talent as well looking for technical teammates to operate the equipment.  We have video capability and soon I’ll figure out a more efficient venue for live streaming.  We’re getting there.  

Well, I just realized that I left my tripod and microphone in my car so, I’m going to go grab those and get back here before things get going.  Stay tuned for updates.  EXCELSIOR!

We get a new title coming out from Valiant Comics, The Harbinger.  Well, not ‘new’ exactly.  The Harbinger has been the flagship title for Valiant since 1992.  A fascinating question posited in this story is “ Can you make the world better if you can’t be better?”  I’m not familiar with this story or title but I’m looking forward to reading this new iteration going forward.

Reading the press sample, the main character seems to have super powers.  We don’t know yet whether he’s a hero or villain.  On page one, he wakes up with amnesia as he recounts this experience to a second party.  My first impression was that this second party is a therapist or confidante of some sort but after a moment that seems less likely the case.  So far, he seems to have the power of flight and I’m sure super strength as well.  The name Harbinger is of course ominous, and the conversation between the two voices becomes less than friendly so, the potential conflicts we could see stemming from this moment can a lot of fun and pretty interesting.

The art has a unique aesthetic.  The style is closer to a pseudo-realism but the coloring isn’t what we would call ‘usual’.  Much of the lighting among the backgrounds use more yellow and greens while we have darker blueish purple contrasted with brighter pink to convey an uncomfortable sensation within the main character as his powers are trying to manifest.  I get that this pallet may be just used in this instance as the dialogue is expressing thoughts in the past tense but I’m digging the colors indecently of the overall art style.  That said, the overall art style is exceptional in and of itself.  The colors certainly add to the experience but the storytelling holds its own.

There are going to be a few different variant covers available for this one.  Three beside a blank cover, a 1/250 Metal cover by Robbi Rodriguez and Travis Escarfullery, and pre-order cover by Damion Scott.  The pre-order deadline is October 4th.  The Harbinger #1 hits newsstands October 27th at $3.99.  Call your local comic book guy today!