Why 'The Wolverine' Is Worth Seeing

The Wolverine hit theaters this past weekend, raking in right around $55 million in the domestic market. That's nothing to shake your head at; in fact, it's a pretty strong number for an opening weekend, matching X-Men: First Class when it released back in 2011. However, one thing that needs to be taken into account when comparing the two movies is the 3D ticket sales, which generally account for higher ticket prices. Taking that into consideration, The Wolverine had the lowest grossing opening weekend of any X-Men film to date.

This isn't something that surprises me, either. After Wolverine's last solo adventure, in the crap-tastic X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I can understand why movie goers are hesitant to shell out money to see this latest film. (Yes, I do recall saying that Origins was awesome. Yes, I was completely blinded by the glitz of a new X-Men movie at the time. I apologize.) But The Wolverine goes far beyond it's sub-par predecessor. It's worth the trip to the movie theaters.

I will say this: The Wolverine isn't perfect. Not at all. However, director James Mangold really learned from the previous installment of the Wolverine saga and did things quite differently. For starters, this isn't an origin story. The movie actually takes place a year after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand. It depicts Logan running away from his problems, mourning the loss of his love, Jean Grey. Maybe this decision was made by screenwriters Mark Bomback and Scott Frank after the shit-storm Origins made of Wolverine's backstory; this film could have easily taken place in 1980's Japan with Wolverine roaming the countryside, memories lost, trying to find himself. But I'm glad they set it in the continuity of the X-Men films. It brings a proper denouement to Wolverine's actions in The Last Stand. He was forced to kill the woman he loves; that's not something that should be glossed over in two minutes of wrap-up.

Another improvement The Wolverine had over Origins is a lack of mutants. Why do I say 'improvement'? Well, if you've seen Origins (you poor bastard, you then you would remember that the writer's idea of fixing plot holes is to throw a mutant at it. Looking at the IMDB page for Origins, I count no less than 9 mutants (was Silver Fox a mutant? I don't remember. If so, that would make 10). And that's all without even clicking on "Full Cast". Yes, I get that the whole point of Wolverine and the X-Men is that they are mutants. But that doesn't mean the mutants should be your Deus Ex Machina when writing the film. By not cramming so many mutants into the story, Bomback and Frank managed to make Wolverine the star. They focused on his powers, his emotions, and his recklessness, which is what you want to see in a Wolverine movie.

The biggest plus for The Wolverine is that they decided to stick with one storyline, as opposed to Origins that took all of the most important aspects of Wolverine's past and crammed it into a 107 minutes of film. They could have easily made a trilogy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine films, in which the first concentrated on his past in Canada, the second with his relationship with Sabretooth and Silver Fox, and the third capping off the Weapon X project and possibly (dare I say it) his time with Alpha Flight. But shoving them all together killed it, just like it killed Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (another movie I have to apologize for).

Is The Wolverine an over-the-top action movie? Yep. But it manages to portray another side of Wolverine that hasn't been explored in the other films, mainly his fighting ability. He is trained in all forms of martial arts and has always been inspired by the Japanese culture.And though they don't really go into how he got to Japan in the first place and learned his fighting skills, I did enjoy seeing him in that setting.

Also, it was nice to see his relationship with Yukio on screen. Wolverine has always managed to become a surrogate father figure for a number of female characters in the comics. We saw a glimpse of this in the first X-Men movie with him and Rogue. But he's also helped to foster Kitty Pryde (teaching her martial arts which later urged her to adopt the Shadowcat code name) and Jubilee. His relationship with Yukio actually came before all of that and it was nice to see that in the film. Yukio proved to be quite a bad-ass, becoming Wolverine's unofficial sidekick. I hope that they decide to include her in later movies but I doubt that will happen.

But as I said earlier, the film isn't perfect. There were a number of issues that I had with the plot, mainly how they treated the Silver Samurai. I won't go into details but it's quite a departure from the comics version of the character. It does work within the context of the movie, and manages to squeeze out a decent twist in the process, but it left me with that "What the hell?" feeling.

I also had some trouble figuring out Viper's motivation. She played a big part in the film; all of the events of the movie can be attributed to her involvement. But it's never quite clear why. I mean, we can plainly see the motivations of the other characters, but Viper's is never made clear. Maybe it's just me and that I missed it, but if so, then that's the perfect definition of "clear". I think that Viper was poorly utilized and would have been better off in a movie that focused on Hydra, or at least was set in Madripoor.

Though The Wolverine opened with depressing numbers for an X-Men movie (in my eyes), I do hope audiences give it a chance. It's hard to get over the mind rape that was Origins and I understand that, but I feel this movie is enough to help redeem the franchise. Not to mention the awesome mid-credits scene at the end that really helps tie this film into the current X-Men continuity. All in all, I'd say The Wolverine is worth checking out.

And for an actual decent portrayal of Wolverine's past, check out these books:

The Walking Dead Kill Count Infographic

Have you been wondering how the kill count for each season of the hit AMC show The Walking Dead has stood up with each other? Curious as to how many zombies have been dispatched via blunt-force trauma versus bladed weapons? Well, the good folks at The National Post have put together one of the greatest infographics I've ever seen, outlining each on-screen zombie kill, weapon used, and who committed the kill. They also show how the body counts for each season relate to each other. This must have been some tedious work, but damn, do I appreciate it!

Update: Apparently, Blogger hates long images like that, despite the hi-res that I uploaded. Click on over to the actual post here so that you can read the information.

Hitting the NaNoWriMo Goal

It's been a long, hard, grueling November. Every day after spending 8 plus hours at a job that drains the life out of me, I've come home, putzed around on the internet for twenty minutes, and set out to work. Since November 1, I have chained myself to the computer for hours on end, typing out the words that will comprise my second novel. And I'm happy to say all of the effort I've put into it has paid off as I've completed NaNoWriMo as a winner.

I started NaNoWriMo as a way to prove to myself that I could do it. Since I first learned about the event from reading No Plot? No Problem! a few years back, I was intrigued by the experiment. Writing 50,000 words in the span of 30 days sounded like an extreme undertaking, especially at that time when I never considered writing a novel myself. But even after I completed my first novel, which took me a whopping four years to complete and is still not even available (though it will be soon), the thought of writing one in a month was astounding.

But I set out to do it, and the more I wrote, the more attention I paid to it. Of course, this first draft isn't perfect. In fact, it's probably absolute shit, but it does have the makings of a good story; a decent plotline, fun characters, and plenty of action. Can I make it good? Absolutely. That's what December is for (but I think I'll be taking some time off before I jump into editing).

One of the most exciting things about crossing the finish line was getting a neat little certificate commemorating the achievement.

The whole idea of NaNoWriMo is a great encouragement to writers that feel they don't have the time to write. Finding time is one of the hardest parts of writing and NaNoWriMo teaches writers how to put those little moments to good use. While you're waiting for the coffee to finish brewing you can easily bang out 100 words, or when you get stuck at a railroad crossing on the way to work, dictate a few paragraphs into your phone. The time is there; using it wisely is the hard part.

Anyone else out there take part in NaNoWriMo? I'd love to hear who you are doing/have done. Is this your first time challenging yourself or are you a yearly participant? What do you think of your finish product? Let me know in the comments or you can email me at CautionIdiotAtPlay@hotmail.com!

A Short Sighted View of NaNoWriMo

So I was just on the can doing my morning business, browsing Facebook on my phone when this article popped into my news feed.

Monkeys With Typewriters & Why I Hate NaNoWriMo

Being waist deep in NaNoWriMo myself, I decided to check it out. While I respect the author's opinion of the event, I must say that I think he has the wrong perception of the event.

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, it's a month long call to arms to authors to produce a novel length word, of 50,000 words of more, within the 30 days of November. It's fast, it's frenetic, and yes, it's all about word count. A few of the novels that will be produced will be readable, but most will be utter shit. That's basically how ANYTHING goes if you've got a huge number of people rushing to complete something in a short amount of time.

One point that the author of the article and I agree on is that the majority of novels written in 30 days will not be good. Hell, my novel is a shaky read in most places. But the author then goes on to assume that, come December 1, participants of NaNoWriMo will stick a fork in the book and call it done, sending it away for publisher review and waiting for that 6-figure advance to come rolling in.

Not exactly.

Any writer worth his salt knows that a first draft is not good. Even the best ideas look terrible when jotted down for the first time. My first yet-to-be-published novel took 10 revisions before I was happy with what I had left. And even that, I feel like I can go back and revise it again. I want to create the best work possible before I put it in front of an audience.

So why does he assume that everyone who partakes in NaNoWriMo will finish on November 30? I love my novel so far; I love the idea that I had, the characters that I've molded, and the situations I've created for them. But once I hit that 50,000 word mark, I know I'm not done. I know that I need to go in there and tighten up my language, word tense, and character development.

That's how books get written.

When you build a house, you first need to lay the foundation. Then you need to erect the framework. Then you hammer in the sheet rock, build the walls, install windows, and on and on. Novel writing is no different. NaNoWriMo is a great way to encourage writers to lay that foundation, to get them started on the road to being a novel writer. Will many writers feel they're finished by the end of November? Yes, but they'll soon realize that they aren't writers. Will a lot of writers not have the persistence to go back and revise their work? Yep, but again, it weeds out the wannabes with no passion. Will some writers actually work with their book  until they can finally be proud of what they've produced? Yes, without a doubt.

To take an analogy from the writer of that author, no, pressure does not always lead to creating a diamond. However, NaNoWriMo isn't about creating diamonds. November is used to find that crusty, ugly gem that no one would dream of putting into a wedding ring. THAT'S what November is for. But once you have that gem, it will still need to be cut and polished and made beautiful, something that can be admired by everyone else. Not everyone participating in NaNoWriMo will actually do this, but to those that do, it's a great time.

Review- Marvel Comics: The Untold Story

Marvel Comics: The Untold Storyby Sean Howe

Longtime fans of Marvel Comics are no strangers to the ups and downs the company has had over the years. Whispers of editorial interference, animosity towards Stan Lee, who spent years as the face of the company, and not to mention the startup of Image Comics in the 90s, which occurred when four Marvel artists grew weary with the politics of the industry. Though this did little to stop readership throughout the times, it did make for a tumultuous history. Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, a new book by Sean Howe, details the company’s history.

Howe holds back very little in his retelling of the history of Marvel, documenting nearly everything from the early years as Timely Comics straight through to the blockbuster 2012 release of The Avengers in theaters, and the whole gamut in between. He treads carefully to avoid interjecting his own opinion on certain events, choosing to merely report on things as they happened. Though he drops a few snarky comments into the mix, such as Marvel’s fanning of the speculation fire in the 90s “comics boom”, most of the book is an objective look back at how the company did business.

Like a good comic book, Marvel Comics manages to find a few villains throughout the years. From Stan Lee in the 50s, after having to layoff a number of high profile artists who vowed never to work for Marvel again, to Jim Shooter in the 80s, whose editorial pig-headedness led to more than a few unhappy employees, to marvel itself in the 80s and 90s, who continued to OK bad ideas like “collector’s editions” comics, ignoring the very idea that good stories will sell issues. (While it didn’t seem Howe’s intention to portray these villains as such, this was the impression I got from them.) What I like best is how Howe divides the book logically, group chapters by time periods or editorial reign, similar to the way Marvel now writes for trades with clear beginnings and endings of their series.

1983 photo of Stan Lee// Photo credit: Eliot R. Brown

From the moment I first heard about Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, I was excited to pick it up. As a self-professed Marvel Zombie, I wanted to know everything I could about the company. Though I had known a lot of what I read, like the fallout between Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and…well, Stan Lee and almost anybody, I learned a few shocking tidbits. For example, the on-again, off-again relationship between Marvel and Howard the Duck creator Steve Gerber, including the legal embitterment that surround the Duck.

Much of the later years of Marvel are glossed over, with the last two decades being summarized in a few chapters. The incarnation of Image Comics is given little consideration, as is Marvel’s legal battles between Ron Perelman, who purchased Marvel in 1989, and business magnate, Carl Icahn, who had his sights set on taking over Marvel and its trademarks (however, the entirety of this story is covered thoroughly in the 2002 book Comic Wars by Dan Raviv).

From the opening page, Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is mesmerizing. Howe gets into great detail about the legacy Marvel has left behind, having interviewed a number of people who were involved with the company over the years. Even the most pain-filled moments are included, such as the lonesome death of production manager John Verpoorten in 1977. (Verpoorten’s role at Marvel wasn’t explored at length, but he made a lasting impression at the company and his death hit them hard.)

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is a raw look at a business that has been the apple of many investor’s eyes and is known by a majority of the population. I recommend any comics fan to read this book to get a better sense of how Marvel came up through the years. I would also recommend many employees of Marvel and even DC Comics to read the book as a reminder of what worked and what didn’t. In a cyclical industry like comic books, companies are bound to make mistakes. Marvel has already made most of those mistakes and I’d hate for them to make them again. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” goes the quote from George Santayana. We can only hope that Marvel’s mistakes can help future business leaders to succeed.  

Bad-Ass Pumpkin Line-Up 2012

October is back! Well, actually, it's more than half over so I suppose I'm a little late with this. But since it's been a bit of a tradition here at Caution: Idiot At Play, I needed to do a new Bad-Ass Pumpkin Line-Up.

There are always tons of creative people creating brand new pumpkins each year. Though many of them turn out to be pretty crappy, there are quite a few that kick all kinds of ass. Here are a few that I found on this great big internet. (Feel free to revisit our past BAPLUs for more face-melting awesomeness.)

Ghostbusters & Hunger Games

A couple of simply carved yet recognizable pumpkins here. I'm a huge fan of Ghostbusters so finding this was a joy. And with the popularity of Hunger Games, there's no doubt that the Mockingjay would be coveted by millions. (Unfortunately, I don't know the carver of the Ghostbusters pumpkin so if you know who did this, let me know!)

By Ramsey The Arab

Calvin And Hobbes
Bill Waterson wasn't the kind of guy to sell his soul to the devils of advertising which is why you don't see a lot of Calvin and Hobbes merchandise everywhere. But as it's one of the most recognizable comic strips of all time, it's got a ton of fans who want to pay tribute to the imaginative young boy and his pet stuffed tiger. While it's not the iconic image of Calvin pissing on Ford or Honda or the New York Yankees, this pumpkin is a lot classier.

By 50an6xy06r6n

Raccoon Mario

Remember Super Mario Bros 3 and the joy of flying through the air after collecting the feather as Raccoon Mario? Relive that moment with this sweet, highly-detailed pumpkin.

Found on Some Girl from Canada

Iron Man

Speaking of highly detailed, you can almost feel the heat coming from the lasers on the Iron Man pumpkin. If there was ever something that epitomized "bad-ass", it's this.

Found on Techeblog

Wonder Woman

This particular pattern seems to have been done over and over but it's a very striking image. Iconic in it's delivery, it is highly recognizable and very well done.

Found on I Heart Wonder Woman

Gremlins

Who doesn't love Gizmo? Even despite all the rules that need to be followed to keep a pet Mogwai, I wish I had one as a kid. This particular pumpkin is carved in a less traditional way, but that doesn't stop it from oozing bad-assity. 

By Villafane Studios

Charizard

Though not the first Charizard pumpkin I've featured here at C:IaP, this one is jaw-dropping. The character pose is highly dynamic and the detail is stellar. I'm a sucker for Pokemon so this one is outrageous.

Found on Techeblog

My Whovian Home

It all started with this.

When I saw that mailbox, I knew that I needed it. I don't even have a house yet, but I wanted a mailbox because, DUH. It's a TARDIS. But the more I started the think about it, the more I wanted to fashion my entire home in a Doctor Who theme. But to be honest, I wasn't sure where to even start.

Good thing I have the internet.

Almost everywhere I went, I was given ideas on how to Doctor Who up my future home. The next one that I found was a backyard shed, complete with a stand-alone Dalek.

I'm not sure what I would need the shed for. Maybe a lawnmower and my fiance's planters and crap like that. But if I have enough room in the backyard for a shed, you better believe it's going to be a TARDIS shed.

So far I’ve got only the outside of my house covered. So what about the inside? Considering how many books I own and how little space I have to store them, I need to think about ways to maximize the space. So finding this online was a miracle.

What I love about this is the way the doors swing open. It really makes seem bigger on the inside, which is, of course, important for a TARDIS. I was hoping that the person that made it would have included instructions or something so that I can find someone to build it for me, but no such luck. If anyone wants to fill this in, feel free to email me.

Along the same lines as that book cabinet, someone decided to turn it into something more appropriate for grown-ups. A TARDIS liquor cabinet. I can just see this sitting in my house filled with bottles of rum, vodka, and Verdi. Though it does seem to be a lot of wasted space so it might be important to add a few extra shelves in there.

But finally, I stumbled on this over on Think Geek the other day. A TARDIS trashcan! While I don’t like the idea of throwing garbage away in a TARDIS, I do like the design and can totally see this sitting in the corner of one of my rooms.

And this is just the beginning! Think of everything else I can do, like paint my front door like the TARDIS. Hell, I can even paint my WHOLE HOUSE like a TARDIS. Just thinking about it makes me really excited to buy my own house.