Archive for May, 2003
29 items.
I would just like to remind everyone since it is May 1st to please place your vote at Top Web Comics.
For those of you not in the know, they wipe the slate clean at the start of each month to give people EXACTLY LIKE ME a chance.
I feel good about adding the TWC banner. Yesterday you guys voted for me some 80-odd times. That’s more than the bulk of those sites see in a year!
But they don’t love you like *I* do…
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I just checked my stats over at Top Web Comics and we’ve already cracked the top 150! You guys rock the booty smooth!
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First off, let me apologize for being late with the strip. Due a freak electrical storm that fried my ethernet card on Wednesday night, I’ve been without access to the internet.
I thought things would be hunky-dorky since I bought a replacement card last night and installed it, but I still can’t connect. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve done something wrong, or if it is my woefully inconsistent local service provider. My card appears in my Network Connections window of my control panel and it says it’s enabled, but it just can’t make that leap to connecting to the internet. If anyone has any ideas, please contact me.
With that out of the way, how many of you are seeing X-Men 2 tonight? I should see EVERYONE raising their hands. That’s right. Even you in the back. I can see you.
The early reviews look to be pretty positive, so I’m excited for a good result. It’s been reported that Brian Singer was given a budget upwards of $157 million – and it shows.
Usually I’m of the persuasion that throwing more money at a picture makes things worse, not better. But, if anything, the first X-Men was sorely lacking in the amount of effects it could have exhibited. A healthy dose of greenbacks could be the only solution.
Personally, I’m pumped to see Nightcrawler on the big screen and I think the casting of Alan Cumming was brilliant. His addition to the cast, I feel, will be much better received than if they had introduced Gambit or Beast. (Extra points for them sneaking Colossus into the mix!)
I’ve always been an old-school Nightcrawler fan. I don’t like the direction his character has taken in the comics – that of a priest (I prefer his swash-buckling days) – but I always appreciated the dynamic of a man who outwardly looks like a demon, but inwardly is devoutly religious. The irony is palpable.
And, of course, the ability to teleport just kicks ass.
*BAMF!*
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Did you know your votes helped to boost Theater Hopper to number 26 on the Top 150 list at Top Web Comics? It’s like someone just handed me a big, heaping helping of awesome! It’s like God is rubbing my tummy! Thank you!
Now… Time to mobilize! Crush the puny crew of No Pants Tuesday! Feast on the blood of Briworld! Give me more votes so that I may decimate my enemies!
Wow. Who knew participating with the TWC could make me such a competitive ass-face?
Just kidding, guys. You know I love ‘ya. And that’s why I linked to ‘ya! Everyone check out their strips and send them a little vote love from me!
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On a recommendation from Carrington, I decided to find out what the site Googlism.com thinks of me. This was the one and ONLY result:
“Tom Brazelton is from Iowa and thus at a greater disadvantage than the others.”
Apparently even the Internet has now turned it’s back on me.
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May05
So if you’re like the rest of the free world, you probably saw X-Men 2: X-Men United over the weekend. And if there is a cooler movie suffering from a lamer subtitle, I haven’t heard it.
Never the less, the movie most assuredly handed my ass to me and with a polite grin and a nod said, “See this? This is your ass. Thank you.”
Did you hear the story about X-2 being the 4th highest grossing opening of all time? $85 million in three days. Not too shabby.
Frankly, though, I’m not sure if this is something we need to celebrate. And, if you keep it within context, is not as big of an achievement as you may think.
X-2 had the advantage of the one of the largest roll-outs in Hollywood history. Over 93 countries simultaneously and nearly 3,800 screens in this country. Yet, it couldn’t break the figures of the three highest opening weekend earners Spider-Man and the first two Harry Potter movies.
In fact, X-2 did almost $30 LESS business than Spider-Man did at this same time last year. Incidentally, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets was the previous screen record holder with 3,682.
But forget the figures. What about the movie! Excellent on all counts and delivered right where it counts. I got to see a lot of the stuff I wanted to see versus the first movie which I always felt like it was on a short leash.
When the school is attacked and Colossus armors up from flesh to steel, it has got to be one of the most cathartic movie moments in recent memory. Even if it was only a fraction of a second – to see it sent chills up my spine.
Of course, if you couldn’t tell from today’s comic, I thought Nightcrawler stole the show. He’s gets the best effect sequence right at the start of the movie. I won’t spoil it, but it sets things off in a good direction.
I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t given much to do during the middle of the film. He only got his 10 minutes at the start and then was kept handy in the last 5. I wish they used him more.
Same for Iceman. It was if he only got to use his powers twice, and he never did the trick where he covers his whole body in ice. Maybe they’re saving that for X-3.
A really great moment in the movie is when Magneto escapes from prison. Again, I won’t spoil it, but it’s very clever. And anyone who is familiar with the comics will get the reference to what he does to the guard.
By the way, did anyone else notice that they stuck in Dr. Hank McCoy (AKA – The Beast) as a commentator on a TV talk show running in the background. Sweet!
Obviously I could go on and on, but I won’t. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you’d better get moving. After all, The Matrix Reloaded is only two weeks away. We wouldn’t want you to fall behind!
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If you’re interested in learning more about the X-Men’s resident “furry, blue elf”, Bamf Central serves as an excellent database of information regarding all things Nightcrawler
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For those of you who never got the opportunity to fully appreciate BriWorld, it’s a damn shame, because that ship has sailed.
BriWorld ends it’s run today. You need to check it out and tell them I sentcha. It’s a bloody great comic.
The only thing that gets me through the day is knowing that Brian Carroll will be gracing us with a new comic called Instant Classic very, very soon.
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“I’ve got the Dungeon Master’s Guide / I’ve got a 12-sided die / I’ve got Kitty Pryde / and Nightcrawler too / Waiting there for me / Yes I do, I do” Weezer
So X-men 2 was pretty cool. My faith in comic book movies is restored. I really didn’t think the first movie was all that great, but I definitely liked this one. Though still slow in places due to multiple storyline, the good parts of this movie definitely made me forget about that.
Nightcrawler was awesome. The “invincible” Alan Cumming proved his worth. With the little bit I know about his character, plus Iceman’s developing story, I am compelled to go stand in line for X-3. Well as long as they play The Matrix Reloaded for me whilst I wait.
The weekend I also saw The Pianist. It was absolutely great. I am glad that Adrien Brody won an Oscar for it. It was well deserved.
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I just wanted to remind everyone that in order to achieve complete world domination, I need you to vote for Theater Hopper every day.
So far we’ve been hovering around number 15 to 17 on the list – AND THAT’S NOT BAD! – but just once I’d like to crack the top 10. Y’know. Just to know what it feels like.
Oh, and if you come here at all, chances are you already visit Nothing Nice to Say. But you should ESPECIALLY check it out before tomorrow. I put together a little guest strip for Mitch and he was kind enough to post it. You can expect it placed on the Bonus Materials page sometime in the near future.
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