De-Basketballing

Disappearing Ball, originally uploaded by Woodmania.

Here was a picture I took at someone's "bachelor party" during our time at the local Dave & Buster's. I don't know if it's Dave's basketball skills or my crappy photography that makes the ball look like it's dissappearing. Probably a little of both. Maybe someday in the future, I'll tell you why I put the term "bachelor party" in quotes.

"Let's have a bachelor party with chicks and guns and fire trucks and hookers and drugs and booze!"
"Yeah! Yeah yeah! All the things that make life worth living for!"

Trailerformers

The teaser trailer for the live-action Transformers movie came out this week. I watched it, kind of intrigued by what little they showed us. As the title came up, I almost had feelings of interest. Then "A Michael Bay film" came on the screen. Yeah, definitely not thinking this is gonna work. I've said it before, not a lot of confidence in this thing. And any time I might change my mind, "A Michael Bay film" brings me back to pessimism. If you don't believe me, check out the greatest movie review of all time to confirm that Michael Bay is not a good director.

Superman or Spider-Man?

While I am pretty stoked about the first Superman movie, there is another hero trying to upstage the Man of Steel's debut: the Spider-Man 3 trailer is out. The movie's not due until next year but this preview looks pretty complete. And pretty kickass.

Speaking of upstaging, it looks like there's about 3 villains in the trailer (Sandman, Venom, and some kind of Goblin), with the possibility of even more. Hope the movie doesn't get too crowded. But I have faith in Sam Raimi. He made 2 of the best comic book movies of all time. I'm sure he has an idea of what he's doing.

Anyway, that's not until 2007. Back to the guy who's movie is actually out now. I'll try to get some kind of reaction to the Superman movie up tomorrow.

"I cried like a baby when you played Cinderella."
"That was first grade."

We Had A Gas Leak That Time. The Silent Killer.

hank and dean


Originally uploaded by woolennium.

Last night finally saw the second season premiere of Venture Brothers. For those who haven't seen it yet, I'll try to be vague. Needless to say, I was stoked by the episode. Jackson Publick and crew certainly crammed a lot into that small 30 minute timeslot. I thought it was pretty funny how they touched on the major three theories so, even as the show went on, you never really knew which way they would go. Actually, I still don't know what opening credits we'll get next Sunday so there's still a couple things that are leaving me hanging. I'm just glad that I'll have a fresh offering from the Venture Brothers before the work-week begins for the next couple months.

"That means you two will have extra-retard babies."

Stand By For A Terrifying Message from Al Gore

You've probably already seen this but I found it amusing. This also works well considering the good animated reported by the Goat: new episodes of Futurama will be on their way. It's good to see that there are still some good things that happen in this crazy world.

"For one brief moment I felt the heartbeat of creation, and it was one with my own."
"We all feel like that all the time. You don't hear us gassin' on about it."

Yeah, They Never Show That Part On TV

venture-bros-season-two


Originally uploaded by kristopherstoker.

10:30 Eastern Time, be at your Television set. Or just TiVo it, I don't care. Just watch the bestest show when new episodes are shown for the first time in, like, a decade. I've prepared by pouring over the Season 1 DVD with all it's commentary and extras. The guys who voice the characters even dress up as their counterparts for a "Behind the Scenes"-type mockumentary. Too bad Patrick Warburton didn't also take part in the fun and dress up as Brock. Couldn't have been any harder than being the Tick. Although, what would be harder to wear: Brock's mullet or the Tick's antennae?

The guys who put together the show have some interesting things to say while recording the commentary. Half the time, they're just ripping on the animation that came back from whatever overseas country did the artwork. I'm also surprised how little they seem to put into the actual writing of the show. The mythos or continuity seems to be an afterthought compared to the music or other aspects of the show. I wonder if that will change now that they seem like they might spend some more time on The Guild of Calamitous Intent and other aspects of the show they touched on in the first batch of episodes.

As we get into the deadest time of year for my entertainment value, it'll be nice to have the Venture Brothers to look forward to for the next few months of Sundays.

"You think you're hot shit in a champagne glass, but you're really cold diarrhea in a Dixie cup!"

Why Didn't Someone Tell Me He Was Back?!

Friend of the Sock Drawer, Lefty Brown, went missing several months ago. His blog inexplicably went blank. I thought he was lost to the internet world. I think others were concerned, as well. If I remember, the cyber-disappearance was even noticed at Progressive Ruin. This saddened me, but somehow I managed to move on. How surprised and stoked I was yesterday when I noticed a comment by one Mr. Brown with a link to his new site. Dyno-Mite! Turns out he just moved to another site. Glad to see you're still on this wacky internet. Looks like I have some back-reading to do.

Seems like there's a lot of people moving or merging or whatever. The Great Curve is now Blog@Newsarama. The folks from Comics Should Be Good are over at Comic Book Resources now. Most of the "Bloggers I Know" from the left side of the page are now contributing at A Bunch of Us instead of their individual sites now. Looks my links are gonna need some updating or cleaning up.

So, if you see that any of my links along the side are out of date or just needs to be fixed, let me know. If you link to my site, and I haven't returned the favor, let me know. If there's someone I should link to, let me know. I got some work to do to tidy up my little Sock Drawer.

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?"

Vote For People Goofier Than Elected Officials

You can decide the next bunch of characters to go into the Mascot Hall of Fame. Yes, that's a real thing. Of course, you would already know that if you listened to our Unabated Sports show last week when we had on David Raymond, the HOF's founder and original Phanatic. The Phillie Phanatic, Phoenix Gorilla and Famous Chicken were the members of the inaugural class inducted last year. To be eligible, a mascot must have been in existence for at least 10 years; have a major impact on its sport, industry and community; and have a performance that is consistently memorable and groundbreaking. Go here to vote on the 2006 class. This year's induction ceremony will take place on August 15 at Love Park in Philadelphia.

This One's For Maderer!

My man, Maderer, sent me this today so I figured I would pass it along. Yes, I know Wassssup is passe but this is still pretty funny.

Not as adorable as the original guys. But it'll do.

"I don't know what beef is between you, but you'd better grill it up and eat it, because it is my ass that is on the line."

Kinda Forgot To Mention The Point Of The Post

When I brought up the Venture Brothers yesterday, I forgot to include the number one thing I wanted to put forward. It was mainly a suggestion for those who were watching the Season 1 DVD or were breaking someone in to their wacky world. My advice is to skip the first episode and go straight to the second episode, Careers in Science. That first episode, especially the first scene where a naked Brock is beating the crap out of Mexian wrestlers can be a bit disorienting to first time viewers.

So, that was it. Not worth it's own post, yeah. That's why I was supposed to put it in with all the Venture Brothers related stuff yesterday.

Hmm... what else can I put on here to fill up some space and make it worth your visit here?

Ida know. I'm still amazed I typed the phrase "Jesus is Gay" last week and no one even batted an eye.

Yeah, I got nothing. Come back tomorrow. I'll try not to suck as badly then.

"Its a simple question doctor: if the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"

Second Venture

Dr. Girlfriend

Originally uploaded by earthdog.

We're one week away from the second season of the great Adult Swim show, the Venture Brothers. It's been a long time since season 1 was on the air and I've been very anxiously awaiting their glorious return to the small screen. Especially, since the last time we saw the Venture Brothers, they were kind of on the dead side. Whoops, that was a SPOILER if you hadn't seen the Season 1 finale.

So, the natural question is how do they come back from the dead? From what I've seen, they might not. And if they do, not anytime soon. This interview seemed to confirm that belief. From what I can tell, it looks like they might end up focusing on the adult members of the Venture Brothers cast. Sure, I'll miss Hank & Dean but there's plenty other characters to push the show forward. Besides, just because they're gone now, doesn't mean we won't see them again at some point. Anybody else have any guesses or hopes on what we'll see this upcoming season?

"Now, your stink is your most powerful weapon in your begging arsenal."

Childhood Favorites Collide

I shared a dark secret with you a few months ago was that I was enjoying the latest Doctor Who installment. The season finale just aired on Sci-Fi last week and my feelings are the same. The new Who has been kicking ass. Unfortunately, there's currently no way to enjoy the new episodes in America since Sci-Fi has yet to pick up the latest season. YouTube has come to the rescue since they have some new Who stuff for me to enjoy. Like today's nugget:

The latest Doctor Who... or is it the A-Team?

You gotta love YouTube. Where else you gonna find something like that?

"Why do they have to travel in packs? And how are you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?"
"You've slayed dragons. If you can't get a date, who can?"
"I think I'd take the dragon now."

(an extra point to the person who guesses why I chose to quote this source.)

Drawing Blashpemous Conclusions From Mixed Media Reports

There's a lot of articles coming out about the upcoming Superman Returns movie. There's the usual fare, then some examining Superman as a character, an icon, and what he means (or could mean) to various factions of humaity.

Supposedly, a big gay magazine says Superman is gay-ish. Brian Singer says no. Despite this, it's pretty much agreed that there's a lot of gay appeal in Superman. If he were totally straight, Supes would be flying around in jeans and a ball cap.

On the other side of the spectrum, some see Superman as a Christ-figure. You don't have to look far to see the similarites between Jesus and Kal-El. They've been made in comics before and it's no surprise that they would make it to the big screen.

So, if I understand these articles correctly, I'm coming to one conclusion:

Jesus is gay.

That's what the media has taught me. There's no way I could have misintrepreted what they said... right?

"That sonata may not be a Glenn Gould performance but, I must say, it's good as Gould."

I Am THIS Close To Giving Up On Comic Books Althogether

I just saw the super-spoilerific ending of Marvel's latest crossover event issue and... there are simply no words. I cannot think of anything that would be dumber. Other than to get publicity in the mainstream press, there's no conceivably justifiable reason to make this status quo change. I haven't read the issue yet, but I cannot conceive a possibilty where this would happen and make sense story-wise. And for a company that has spent so much time complaining about Peter Parker's marriage to a supermodel, this decision makes the Spidey marriage look like a Nobel Prize-winning idea. Marvel's Powers That Be griped about how far Spidey has gone from his roots. Now they have probably done the greatest sin to take Peter Parker from the iconic figure he was into something... gah, I can't even finish sentences I am so baffled. Marrying Mary Jane, the Clone Wars, Hypno Hustler and anything else you want to throw on there is not even half as dumb as this.

"Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams."

Metropolis Now!

A big weekend for fans of the Man of Steel: Superman Celebration 2006. In the real town of Metropolis, Illinois, all things Superman are celebrated. The event struck me as kind of small but this year they've got Smallville's Lex Luthor and the teenage Clark Kent from the upcoming Superman Returns movie so maybe they're getting a little bigger and better. It's a five hour-plus drive from here but I've always considered making it out there. It looks like I'm going to end up saying "Maybe Next Year" again. Or maybe I'll just hit the Superman Museum during non-celebration time. Then again, maybe that and a 15-foot statue in the town square isn't enough to make the trip worth it.

"Son, stocks may rise and fall, utilities and transportation systems may collapse. People are no damn good, but they will always need land and they'll pay through the nose to get it!"

Ripping Off A Concept From Animaniacs

Remember those "Good Idea, Bad Idea" segments from Animaniacs? I thought it might be fun to take a concept from a kids' cartoon to poke fun at pop culture.

Good Idea: X-Men movie spinoffs
Wolverine and Magneto are officially in the works, but Emma Frost might be the next character to make the jump. This article talks about potential X-Men movie spin-offs than the White Queen. The best of the bunch is based on Peter David's X-Factor. The leader of the current team is Jamie Madrox, who made it on the screen as X-Men 3's Multiple Man. I'd love to see Eric Dane back in that role. Even though he only had limited screen time, he absolutely ruled. Sure, Jamie Madrox was a bad guy but it wouldn't be a big stretch to reform him. After all, he didn't really do anything super "evil" in the movie. Sure, he robbed a bank (or seven) but you can say he only joined the bad guys cause Magneto freed him from jail. Now that he's in government hands, it wouldn't be a stretch that he could turn his life around. Although, I think a private detective agency made up of mutants would make a better TV show than a movie.

Bad Idea: Ultimate Spider-Man #95
Well, the issue was fine. It's not the inside of the comic I had a problem with, it's the outside. I've always been a big detractor from the generic pin-up style of covers that Marvel has switched to for the last couple years. I know you can't judge a book by it's cover, but you aren't gonna get $3 from me if you don't catch my attention with some hint as to what's the crux of the story inside. It's hard to do, but you can actually make that "generic pin-up" decision even worse. Use essentially the same image for the front cover that is supposed to be the "surprise reveal" on the last page. Gee, I wonder who's gonna be the mysterious figure? Maybe the guy on the cover that we haven't seen yet on the previous 20 pages?! Kinda takes away the dramatic impact there, chief. No wonder people wait for the trades. Scrubs.

"I can't talk to you for too long or I'll get real upset. I want you to make a lot of friends. And I want you to be real nice to the girls 'cause they're gonna be real important to you, I swear."

Six Six Six

So today's the big day: 6/6/6. The sixth of June on the sixth year of two thousand. To celebrate, Hollywood is releasing another Omen movie. I don't remember too much about the first one. Seemed kinda boring to me. It was scary enough to keep parisioners away from the church in which it was filmed.

Although, apparently, the 666 doesn't mean what we think it does. I read the article, well tried to. Couldn't get through it. Way boring. Never got to the point. So, I don't know why it doesn't mean what we think.

It won't stop folks from having a big party in Hell, Michigan today. Also, doctors are inducing less births than normal. But, if you had a baby today, here's a checklist to see if your child is the Anti-Christ. Wait a minute, I think that's one of them jokey-sites. Still, good advice for those spitting out a kid today.

YouTube: The Lazy Blogger's Friend

Sure, we've all seen amazing buzzer beaters before, but none like this. Heh, heh.

"Alright, so you're nonchalant! Quit rubbing our noses in it!"

"Quote" Contest, With "Quote" in Quotes

Yeah, this probably should be named differently since I have been offering points for stuff other than knowing the source of random quotes I type up. Heck, I even tossed Zandra an extra point for all those LOST sites she pointed me in the direction of. So, not only have I given points to those who follow directions, but now I'm apparently going to reward someone on a whim who give me something good in the comment section. Yep, pretty erratic and unfair. Anyway, here's the point totals so far.

Quote Standings
Eric 36
Tom the Dog 15
dupree 14
The Goat 12
Doodyhead 9
Zman 8
Amy 8
Jeff 6
Greg Burgas 6
Kerry 6
Logan 5
Zandra 5
Jeremy 3
Rinnert 3
Nagel 3
Natalie 2
Joel 2
Herb 2
MOe 2
Bill D 1

And here's the standard explanation of the contest for those who just got here and have no idea what is going on: At the end of every blog entry, I leave you with a quote. Be the first one to make a comment stating where the quote from and you get a point. Anyone can guess. Even if new entries are put up, all previous unclaimed quotes from 2006 are still fair game. Whoever has the most points at the end of the year is the winner.

I'm gonna put a link on your name, unless you tell me otherwise. For those of you who are not linked right now, I don't know where to send people.

"And they appear to be printed on some sort of cracker."