Well as promised I said I was going to review some comics as I read them. As you may or may not know DC has recently rebooted the DC Universe, calling it the NEW 52! Despite not being a huge DC fan I decided it would be a cool jumping on point. I have read some DC stuff that I truly loved but most of it has nothing to do with DCU (Watchmen) or aren’t canon to the characters (Killing Joke, Dark Knight Returns, All-Star Superman).  The three titles I picked up were: Swamp Thing #1, Detective Comics #1 and Action Comics #1. Out of the three the only one really worth mentioning is Swamp Thing #1. Detective Comics #1 starts off strong and has some great visuals but there is something off with the voicing of Batman, just feels forced. Action Comics #1 I thought was pretty down the middle, though I do like the idea of Superman being seen as threat to the world. With that out of the way here’s my opinion on….

Swamp Thing #1

I’m sure most people my age have some memory of Swamp Thing, whether it be the movie, the cartoon show or even the comic. Swamp Thing has had many great writers behind the title over its many volumes such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison with help from Mark Millar,  Brian K. Vaughan and Andy Diggle to name a few. Due to the many writers over time Swamp Thing has also gone through many changes (if you want to know all the changes go here) the new DC 52 being the most recent. I picked up Swamp Thing #1, excited, because I can kind of start fresh and not have to worry much about what parts of the characters back story I’m missing. This issue is just what I was hoping it would be. We don’t have to get dragged through the back story of Allen Holland and how he became the swamp thing, instead we have Allen struggling with what he has experienced as swamp thing. We get a few cameos from other DCU characters which is nice but I’m glad that it wasn’t what the book was about. There are some references toward something that had happened previously but it wasn’t anything that made me feel lost or like I had missed something important.  Throughout the book we keep getting little glimpses of what is to come of the first story arch, titled “Raise Dem Bones”.  I must say it looks pretty interesting to say the least. I really like the art so far, aside from Superman’s chin (you’ll see). His chin isn’t Rob Leighfield bad, it just looks a little off. The cover of this first issue is just awesome! Yanick Paquette did a great job, and is the main reason why I liked this issue so much.

My rating: 4.5/5 Dancing Van Dammes

P.s.

Though this looks horrible, I do remember the toys being BAD ASS!

           Some may know, some may not know but Buffalo (the band I’m in) is going to be playing its last show this month. For internal reasons were calling it quits (kinda). Out of the ashes of the band is gonna start a new band, dubois (doo-BOYZ). The band is going to consist of the same members of the latest line up of Buffalo (Ben, Lalo, Chris and I) but the music is a really different vibe so we figured start fresh. We already have 3 songs in the works as of right now and I’m really happy with the way it’s sounding, kinda a poppy-er  sounding Buffalo. So far its been a blast writing but a huge pain in the ass getting together what with everyone’s schedule. Once were done writing the new tunes we want to record a demo before we go all gung-ho playing shows. We are going to focus on quality of what were writing rather than playing a crazy amount of local shows. Hopefully we can start playing shows really soon as we are all really happy with what were writing and want everyone to share how we feel about what were doing.

As for me personally I recently have a new addition in my life in the form of a dog. Her name is Penny and she is awesome! She is a German short-hair pointer, chocolate lab mix. Image the singer Seal if he was a female dog with huge nipples and when I say huge, I mean like door stoppers. The vet thinks that she has  had pups already as she is already a year old. Despite the giant nipples and her separation  anxiety, I’m smitten. As i continue to post on this blog I’m sure you’ll more eventually see pictures of her. I leave you with a picture of her looking like an old woman.

My only food source, aside from PB&J sandwiches

The only picture I have from Baltimore:

NYC

My fav. NYC band, Jonesin’

My only photo for the ATL:

Pensacola

Houstin

Rich and his amazing family!

Austin, Allen was a great host and sang us sweet songs. Hobomouth:

San Antonio:

So on the night we headed back to El Paso we had pulled over into a gas station. There was a slap fest which was amusing and brought a small audience. The tour ended on a beautiful moment, and left me ready for the next tour.

We wanderers, ever seeking the lonelier way, begin no day where we have ended another day; and no sunrise finds us where sunset left us. Even while the earth sleeps we travel.

Kahlil Gibran

This tour led us through many states, many of which I have never been through. The list includes Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

The van became our home for two weeks. Its something that most people would cringe at the thought of, but it is something beautiful to me. We hit the road with 8 people and a dog with an over sized vagina crammed into a passenger van.

There was a lot of driving to be done. One of our first major stops was in Little Rock Arkansas. We stopped at a McDonald’s/Gas Station. We hung out there for a while then decided to hit the road again. While everyone piled into the van to head out, I decided to buy some chips. So while purchasing my flaming hot fries a huge bitch fight erupted with a slap. It was like watching TV, the people behind the register at the gas station just sat and watched with amusement while more girls appeared out from behind the McDonald’s counter to “throw down”. Nothing like ghetto black girls throwing fists in a McDonald’s/Gas Station for my first impression of Little Rock. I jumped into the van and told everyone else about what was going on, we proceeded to reposition the van so we could have front row seats. Once again we hit the road…

We got down in Memphis and walked around, unfortunately my battery died and I wasn’t able to take some pictures. Cody and I split off from the others and went grocery shopping. Peanut butter, apple butter, bread, bananas, and some cans of off brand Spaghetti-O’s. We then made our way to Nashville. Lalo got really drunk and fell asleep in the car by the time we ended up in Nashville. The others went bar hopping while Lalo, Cody, and I stayed in the van. I managed to finish my book “Pulp” by Charles Bukowski. If you want to hear about the others experience in Nashville read Raul’s Blog.

Eventually we made it to Pittsburgh and it was definitely beautiful. After the show everyone had a good time and the others got a few drinks in them. Eventually the bar closed and Lalo began bustin’ moves and delivering the Peoples Elbow.

This post is getting long so I leave you with this video.

This is where I bedded down.

The weekend was awesome. I leave you with this lovely picture of Christina’s brother.

These are things that I have yet to post.

So, this was a while ago but it was too awesome not to mention. Christina took me to go see Tom Waits. He was definitely one of the best performers Ive ever seen.

Earlier this month Buckeye drove up to Denver to play a show with our friend George of the Smiley Kids. Here are some pictures to recap.

There are more pictures that I have to upload, but my camera is in my car at the moment and its raining. I’m too lazy to put shoes on and too lazy to take my socks off so as not to get them wet. Today has been a very lazy day, and I am enjoying every minute of it. Once it stops raining I’ll go and get my camera. As for now Ive been listening to this song “Sadie” by James K. Polk and the Family of Friends. I cant get enough of it! Well I have a very short attention span right now so its getting difficult to write coherently.  So I will leave you with this:

Ive been really busy as of lately and will be even busier still. I will just show you some pictures for now.

Once again Joe and I were back at Val’s apartment doing some recording.

Val was writing the song as he went so we had some time to just hang out as well as help Val figure things out.

I also got a new phone recently, so now I have a new number.

I have a lot to say but its already 3:42am and I am in somewhat of a poor mood so I will leave you with this.

The Eye

Said the Eye one day, “I see beyond these valleys a mountain veiled with blue mist. Is it not beautiful?”

The Ear listened, and after listening intently awhile, said, “But where is any mountain? I do not hear it.”

Then the Hand spoke and said, “I am trying in vain to feel it or touch it, and I can find no mountain.”

And the Nose said, “There is no mountain, I cannot smell it.”

Then the Eye turned the other way, and they all began to talk together about the Eye’s strange delusion. And they said, “Something must be the matter with the Eye.”

-Kahlil Gibran

We played a show at this new coffee shop down town.

After that show a few of us went back to Mikey’s house.

After they got a few drinks in, it was decided that everyone should cross the ledge of the pool.

Later in the week we had a show at the Farm in Las Cruces.

After we played we got to watch Andrew Jackson Jihad, and I must say… AWESOME!

Then some time later in the week, we played an ok show at Zeppelins, a shitty venue.

I have more to say but I dont really feel like typing at the moment.

“Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it.”