blog about pop culture, movies, comics, tv, writing, books and most importantly, about the main character of "The Morgalla Chronicles". The first part, The Savage Peak, is now available through BHC Press!
Monday, August 11, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
WAR is Coming...
Book three of "The Trilogy of Morgalla", coming in November.
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http://www.facebook.com/Morgalla
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Morgalla Inspiration: Anne Lewis
Not inspired directly, but more on a subliminal level, Robocop & Robocop 2's Anne Lewis was a great (though underused) supporting character from these two films.
The goal of the first Robocop film was to tell a story about a bankrupt future Detroit that's a cesspool of crime and in desperate need of change...basically modern-day Detroit.
But still...
Anne Lewis is a regular cop in Detroit, fighting what seems to be a never-ending battle against crime. God knows how many partners she's gone through.
The character has many great qualities. One element that makes her unique is the fact that it could have been played by a man and yet was not. The director, writers, producers, casting director...doesn't matter, they could have all cast a man in the role but chose a woman. Perhaps the reason behind it was the fact that the rest of the film is a sausage-fest and at least one female was needed, but in the end her gender didn't matter.
Lewis is Murphy's tie to the human race and the soul of the audience. I state that she's underused for she basically is a sidekick to Robocop in both films, even though she has some great scenes. She is, first and foremost, a great woman of action in a time where that was non-existent. Heck, it's rare even for today.
Like I said in the beginning, on a subliminal level I suppose Anne was an influence on Morgalla, though not directly. What Paul Verhoeven and the writers of Robocop did was focus on all the elements that made a good character, albeit a supporting one, and the fact that she was a woman is merely a coincidence. THAT is what I feel should be the focus on most any character. No gratuitous shower scene (which is weird when you think about it, being Paul Verhoeven).
The goal of the first Robocop film was to tell a story about a bankrupt future Detroit that's a cesspool of crime and in desperate need of change...basically modern-day Detroit.
But still...
Anne Lewis is a regular cop in Detroit, fighting what seems to be a never-ending battle against crime. God knows how many partners she's gone through.
The character has many great qualities. One element that makes her unique is the fact that it could have been played by a man and yet was not. The director, writers, producers, casting director...doesn't matter, they could have all cast a man in the role but chose a woman. Perhaps the reason behind it was the fact that the rest of the film is a sausage-fest and at least one female was needed, but in the end her gender didn't matter.
Lewis is Murphy's tie to the human race and the soul of the audience. I state that she's underused for she basically is a sidekick to Robocop in both films, even though she has some great scenes. She is, first and foremost, a great woman of action in a time where that was non-existent. Heck, it's rare even for today.
Like I said in the beginning, on a subliminal level I suppose Anne was an influence on Morgalla, though not directly. What Paul Verhoeven and the writers of Robocop did was focus on all the elements that made a good character, albeit a supporting one, and the fact that she was a woman is merely a coincidence. THAT is what I feel should be the focus on most any character. No gratuitous shower scene (which is weird when you think about it, being Paul Verhoeven).
How many times have we seen in films the only female character happens to be a love interest, too? Glad they didn't try. That's something that's bugged me with many films where the filmmakers feel they "need" a romantic love interest for their male lead. You see it in all of the recent Marvel films with the exception of Captain America, The Winter Soldier.
Sad that we don't see more characters like this. Oh wait...I can think of one:
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Penguicon & Comicon 2014
Morgalla was a big hit at both conventions this year! Great meeting so many awesome people and hearing such enthusiasm for my work!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Epilogue or No Epilogue
Harry Potter is awesome in many ways. One minor criticism I had of it was that it was too long. One reason why I decided long ago to only make Morgalla a trilogy and nothing more. Another reason was Star Wars. Imagine if thirty years ago George Lucas officially ENDED Star Wars with only three films? Sure, people would have been upset but it would have ended on a high note and with people wanting more.
But still...
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has an epilogue which takes place 19 years later. This was one of the few moments JK Rowling was wrong. We didn't need to see Harry grown up, see his children and others as well. We knew that Harry and Ginny were together, Ron and Hermoine. We know who lives, who dies, and we know that the wizarding world was broken and bruised, but not dead. The good guys won and started to rebuild and rebuild they would.
It would have been far better if perhaps someone gave a speech, like Professor MoGonagall, and gave a rousing speech that motivated everyone, characters and reader, that things were going to be okay.
Herry's world exists alongside ours, parallel and hidden. Yes, the victory against Voldemort was important and HIS victory would have been the end of our world, but did we notice? Not at all. Our world kept spinning and was untouched (or so it seemed) by the wizarding world.
Now one film series that I thought should have had an epilogue were the Matrix films.
UGH...the Matrix Trilogy. How you went wrong.
UGH...the Matrix Trilogy. How you went wrong.
But still...
In the Matrix, the entire freaking WORLD is enveloped in a shroud and the planet seems to be a graveyard. Among the many...*SIGH* MANY problems with the sequels, one was the fact that I was left wanting more, knowing what happened after Neo died and the world was apparently "saved". Sure, there is an epilogue in the Matrix Revolutions, too but it's very brief and sure they give the "hope for the future" deal but I think everyone was left unsatisfied. Myself included.
Would have been better if we got a flash forward into the future. This is OUR planet, don't leave us hanging that maybe...MAYBE things got better. Show many decades into the future, where machines and humans are living together and the world isn't a pit anymore.
"The war is over!"
Um...okay that doesn't mean anything in the long run. How do we know that the machines didn't eradicate the human race anyway? Did they learn morality from Neo's sacrifice? Since the entire planet of Earth was in ruins, it was really important as to what happened to the human race and the planet since.
I repeat myself...Oh Matrix films, what a waste. Such lost potential.
But I'm torn as to how to truly END the Trilogy of Morgalla. Do I have an epilogue or not? I see the appeal of both. If I don't have one, I leave it up to the reader to determine what happens next but they might be disappointed as I was with the Matrix films, needing to know what happens to the Earth. If I do have one, I might take away from the reader something that they could imagine themselves.
Decisions, decisions...
"The war is over!"
Um...okay that doesn't mean anything in the long run. How do we know that the machines didn't eradicate the human race anyway? Did they learn morality from Neo's sacrifice? Since the entire planet of Earth was in ruins, it was really important as to what happened to the human race and the planet since.
I repeat myself...Oh Matrix films, what a waste. Such lost potential.
But I'm torn as to how to truly END the Trilogy of Morgalla. Do I have an epilogue or not? I see the appeal of both. If I don't have one, I leave it up to the reader to determine what happens next but they might be disappointed as I was with the Matrix films, needing to know what happens to the Earth. If I do have one, I might take away from the reader something that they could imagine themselves.
Decisions, decisions...
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Celebrating Shirley Walker
I LOVE the work of Shirley Walker, composer of some great work with Batman, the Animated series, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, just to name a few.
I could try and talk about her but my words could not do justice to her brilliance:
http://entractemag.com/celebrating-shirley-walker/
I could try and talk about her but my words could not do justice to her brilliance:
http://entractemag.com/celebrating-shirley-walker/
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/awesome-guardians-of-the-galaxy-trailer-breakdown-from-director-james-gunn
I'm not too familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy comic and nor will I be. When a fandom hits the big screen, I like seeing it through the eyes of someone who doesn't know what it's about, judging it based on the two hours in front of me.
In recent years, it's my understanding that many of the characters of GoG were taken from other elements of the Marvel Universe. Drax the Destroyer and Gamora, to name two, were from the Infinity Watch, a comic I DID read on a regular basis. I'm a big fan of Jim Starlin.
Anyway, this means a lot because Jim Starlin and Gamora are both influences on Morgalla.
Not this Gamora:
Not this Gamora:
But this one:
Which brings me to something else....
Oh and a note to DC - Marvel is kicking your ass.
I'm not too familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy comic and nor will I be. When a fandom hits the big screen, I like seeing it through the eyes of someone who doesn't know what it's about, judging it based on the two hours in front of me.
In recent years, it's my understanding that many of the characters of GoG were taken from other elements of the Marvel Universe. Drax the Destroyer and Gamora, to name two, were from the Infinity Watch, a comic I DID read on a regular basis. I'm a big fan of Jim Starlin.
Anyway, this means a lot because Jim Starlin and Gamora are both influences on Morgalla.
Not this Gamora:
Not this Gamora:
But this one:
Which brings me to something else....
Oh and a note to DC - Marvel is kicking your ass.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Leonard Nimoy's Health
My thoughts are going out to Leonard Nimoy who is fighting a terrible illness. I only wish the best for an artist whom I so greatly admire.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Harry Loves Hermoine
http://www.hypable.com/2014/02/01/jk-rowling-ron-hermione-relationship-regret-interview/
In a recent interview, JK Rowling admitted that she wished that Harry and Hermoine get together instead of Ron and Hermoine.
To which I say...DUH.
It wasn't just the movies and the chemistry of Dan Radcliffe and Emma Watson but also while reading Joanne's writing, you just see that they both have more chemistry than Ron and Hermoine could ever have.
I could clearly see Ron having a thing for her and a love growing within but I never could never see him truly making her happy. Even while reading the later books, Ron and Hermoine's relationship felt forced and horseshoed into the series at the last minute.
Oh well, live and learn.
In a recent interview, JK Rowling admitted that she wished that Harry and Hermoine get together instead of Ron and Hermoine.
To which I say...DUH.
It wasn't just the movies and the chemistry of Dan Radcliffe and Emma Watson but also while reading Joanne's writing, you just see that they both have more chemistry than Ron and Hermoine could ever have.
I could clearly see Ron having a thing for her and a love growing within but I never could never see him truly making her happy. Even while reading the later books, Ron and Hermoine's relationship felt forced and horseshoed into the series at the last minute.
Oh well, live and learn.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The Shadow of Hell
I present to you the second chapter in the Trilogy of Morgalla, the Shadow of Hell:
https://www.createspace.com/4305633
https://www.createspace.com/4305633
Part two of the Trilogy of Morgalla finds our intrepid demon heroine facing her toughest challenge yet: A normal life
Morgalla struggles with an annoying boss, troublesome bills and winter weather which she despises. There is hope as she finds new friends, finds a daughter's love from a dog saved from a frozen grave and the man in her life who accepts her for all that she is.
Plots unfold again on all fronts to claim revenge and destroy the Earth. No one is safe, enemies are everywhere and it's difficult to know who to trust. No matter how hard she tries, Morgalla cannot escape the SHADOW OF HELL
Sunday, January 26, 2014
A Wonderful Tribute
As many people know along the net, Justin Carmical of Channel Awesome, committed suicide on January 23rd.
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/42100-in-loving-memory-of-justin-carmical
It's always shocking when someone takes their own life.
The video shows a lot of his work but what really caught my attention was the very end when he's pouring his heart out to the camera, to the net, to the world. He says some wonderful things that come straight from his heart. This shows that he was an emotional man who had a lot to share and wanted to bond with those who who might also be hurting deep down.
"You're not stupid, you're not an idiot. Don't ever tell yourself that you are."
Thanks for those words, Justin. You chose to share something good with this world and that's always better than spreading hate.
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/42100-in-loving-memory-of-justin-carmical
It's always shocking when someone takes their own life.
The video shows a lot of his work but what really caught my attention was the very end when he's pouring his heart out to the camera, to the net, to the world. He says some wonderful things that come straight from his heart. This shows that he was an emotional man who had a lot to share and wanted to bond with those who who might also be hurting deep down.
"You're not stupid, you're not an idiot. Don't ever tell yourself that you are."
Thanks for those words, Justin. You chose to share something good with this world and that's always better than spreading hate.
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