Watchmen and The Lord of the Rings Are Strikingly Similar Landmarks

Watchmen and The Lord of the Rings Are Strikingly Similar Landmarks

Posted inBooks & Authors, Comics & Graphic Novels, Geek Stuff
Watching The Rings Moore’s Watchmen and Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Are Strikingly Similar Landmarks   When one talks of vital contributions to the art of comics, one cannot ignore Alan Moore. With a body of work as consistently terrific as his – he has more certifiable classics under his belt than any comic writer of the last 30 years – targeting any given tale as his “best” is an impossible task. But of Alan Moore’s contributions to comicdom, one truly stands as not just an undeniable landmark, but the undeniable landmark, putting its stamp on comic history forever: Watchmen, the powerful 12-issue collaboration with Dave…

On creativity and fear

Posted inBooks & Authors, Random Musings, Videos, Writing
Creation is an act of defiance against fear. Whether writer, musician, artist, or other variation on the theme of Creative Person, all of us at one point or another struggle between our insatiable need to create and a nagging demon whispering to us, "You can't do it. You will never be great." So when we sit down and put words on the page or send musical notes to the ears of our listeners, we are rebelling against that fear. Where others are intimidated by failure, by the sometimes insurmountable challenge of turning their creative vision into reality, we fight on.…
Bigfoot in New Jersey?

Bigfoot in New Jersey?

Posted inBooks & Authors, Uncategorized
It goes without saying that I have an interest in the New Jersey lore and history. You don't tackle a book like Lakehurst: Barrens, Blimps & Barons without a strong interest in what goes on off the beaten path here in the Garden State. I especially like the odd, offbeat stuff you'll find in legendary local magazines like Weird NJ or in regional classics like The Jersey Devil (a book I've probably read four times). Folks outside the state only seem to know the stretch between New York and Newark airport, but those of us in the state know New…
Last thoughts on Bradbury’s passing

Last thoughts on Bradbury’s passing

Posted inBooks & Authors, Random Musings, Writing
I have already posted about Ray Bradbury's passing, but he had such a big impact on me as a reader and writer that I feel like I want to revisit his career's influence one more time. He was just that important to what I aspired -- and still aspire -- to be. As my friend and collaborator Zaki Hasan said in his post on the subject, "the impact he had on my life, as a reader, a filmgoer, and a writer is hard to encapsulate."   I discovered Bradbury pretty early, and he stuck with me all my life. I'd read…
Goodbye, Ray Bradbury

Goodbye, Ray Bradbury

Posted inBooks & Authors, Writing
I'm not much for mourning celebrity deaths. I generally don't care that you were in a few movies or TV shows, or that you wrote some catchy song I haven't heard in six years. Such passings are sad, but they have little impact on my life. But Ray Bradbury, who passed away this morning at the age of 91, was more than a mere celebrity author to me. He was a tremendous influence on me both growing up as well as in later years when I began to pursue writing more seriously; a man whose work informed me, inspired me,…