Giant Robots -- Come On, You Love Them

My son and I were talking the other day about the cartoons we use to watch together when he was much younger.

This one is/was/will always be

EPIC!

In Case You Haven't Heard...

EVERYBODY loves that

HOMESTAR RUNNER!

When I was a lowly High School English Teacher, one of my favorite students turned me on to good old Homestar. At first I found it amusing, then funny, then bust your gut laugh out loud face turn red sweat pouring off your forehead falling off the chair and curling into a fetal ball hysterical. Then I turned my son on to Homestar. We have been bonding over it (for his 11th birthday, I even got him "Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People" and he has been giggling, gaffawing, hee-hawing, and fart laughing ever since) and it has been a "solid" in our ability to get down with each other.

The best part of Homestar Runner is the Strong Bad E-Mail section. My all time favorite "episode" is, hands down: Trogdor. Next, of course (given my past), is: English Paper. Finally, there is the surreal jewel: New Hands.

As you can see, this is some seriously funny stuff on a very strange and endearing level. I just came across a quiz that lets you find out which Homestar Runner character you are most like.

Check it and wet your pants. Tell them Uncle Walt sent you.

I know what my son and I are doing this summer!

Dude -- seriously -- this looks awesome!!



If I wore panties, I would imagine that they would be wet right now.

Just imagine if you put Walt Whitman in the suit -- oh the possibilities!

Invincible

A quick note on what could possibly be the greatest comic book of all time:

INVINCIBLE

I don't even know where to begin on this one. It has everything an excellent comic has to offer:

• Action
• Drama
• Humor
• Romance
• Horror
• A sense of reality(?)
• Great Characterization
• Wonderful Writing
• Fantastic Art
• Unique Storytelling
• An Appeal to All Ages
• Did I mention Action?

For years now my 10-year-old son and I have enjoyed the proverbial "heck" out of this comic.

Being a former high school English teacher I like to concentrate on the writing above all else (because without good writing, you got "poo" for a product). Invincible is written by the inimitable (and prolific) Robert Kirkman. Kirkman not only knows how to tell a story, but his use of dialogue to add to characterization is almost unheard of in the comics industry (OK, I'll admit it, there is a chance that Brian Michael Bendis, in his prime, was better). Not only is he able to write dialogue that sounds like people actually speak, but his sense of timing and humor make you continuously want to turn the page. Kirkman is one of my personal gods walking hard on this earth. Almost everything he writes is gold (including another of my favorites, The Walking Dead). I am serious when I tell you, this is a great read -- suitable for all ages.

Next is the art. Invincible is currently drawn by Ryan Ottley. His lines are clean, emotions are perfectly captured, movement is evident, and action is rendered in a manner that you feel every punch, kick, smash, burn, and whack. Ottley can create some serious blood and gore, which may disturb the "chillin" of a more sensitive nature (apparently not a 10-year-old boy, though), and sometimes it can be a bit gratuitous -- but it is always rendered in a way that almost makes it beautiful.

Invincible does have a bit of a complicated story line (for a great synopsis see this Wikipedia entry), but it is pretty easy to jump on board at any point. The smartest thing to do (in my estimation) is go back to the beginning. This is very easy to do by getting your hands on the trade paperbacks that have been coming out at a fairly regular pace.

Even more exciting is the notion that Invincible has been optioned to be made into a feature film. Nothing says success like the big screen, and Kirkman's creation should transfer beautifully to film.

Now quit reading this and get your hands on Invincible. Don't ever say I didn't do anything for you.