My Ode To Jason Todd....and my 1st comic script

That right there was likely the first time I ever saw an image of Jason Todd...did not know it was Jason Todd at the time, didn't have the slightest clue who Jason Todd even was yet, but based on the following two pages from that very same issue, I pretty easily figured out he was a former Robin and someone of great importance to the Bat-mythos:

See I am someone who jumped on the Knightfall bandwagon when Batman #497 came out so aside from the Adam West TV show & movie, the Tim Burton movies, and Batman: The Animated Series, my Bat-knowledge was minimal.  I was a Marvel guy, an X-Men kid, and it's safe to say the Image explosion in 1992 was the first time I ventured outside of Marvel in the roughly 5 years I had been reading at that point.  Still, one day when I was at Daggett's Comics in Holt, MI (now sadly closed sometime after I moved to PA) I was asked by Keith, the owner, if I knew what was going on in Batman.

"Nope, you know I only read Marvel and Image" was likely my reply but after being told about how his back got broken I was sufficiently intrigued to pick up the 2nd or 3rd printing of #497, followed rather quickly by picking up as many of the preceding parts of Knightfall as I could find as well as reading the story through to its conclusion.  Oh and then I had to find Sword of Azrael and Vengeance of Bane because they were direct lead-ins, and then I had to get the issues of Detective Comics and Batman that immediately preceded Knightfall to see how the story built up, and then I had to get EVERYTHING before that, and now my Bat-collection starts somewhere around issue #400 of Batman and #575 of Detective Comics (give or take), not to mention Shadow of the Bat, Legends of the Dark Knight, Gotham Knights, and so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby.

But I digress...

This is not a tale of my infatuation with Batman, rather it is a tale of my infatuation with the character of Jason Todd aka Robin II aka The Red Hood aka Gun-Toting Batman from Battle for the Cowl.  Aside from those references in Batman #496, I found that as I read more of Bruce Wayne's story I kept stumbling across the references to Jason Todd, particularly as I read the "Year 3" and "Lonely Place of Dying" arcs that brought Tim Drake into the Bat-family for the first time.  

See Tim was my Robin, I knew Dick Grayson was the original Robin because of B:TAS, but as a reader Tim was my first Robin and, to this day, remains my favorite (although Damian is fighting hard for that spot).  It's similar to the idea for some people Wally West is Flash whereas for others Barry Allen is Flash, for some Kyle Rayner may be their GL whereas others lay claim to Hal Jordan or John Stewart...it all depends on who was in the role when you started reading I suppose (making me wonder if anyone claims Dick Grayson as their Batman?).

Anywho, my interest in just who Jason Todd was grew because it was obvious that his death had a profound impact on Bruce Wayne both as Batman and as Bruce.  He refused the idea of another sidekick, removed anything that reminded him of JT from the Batcave, and was running himself ragged on the streets (which conveniently helped set the plate for Bane in Knightfall). Jason's death was a major event in the history of the Bat, and as my love for the character and his immense history grew, it became very evident I had to read "Death in the Family".

I don't remember if I read it before this, in all likelihood I did not, but what I do remember is that I purchased this story for the very first time in either 1999 or 2000 and either in Chicago or Canada.  It was an old printing, much like the "Lonely Place" collection I found, with cover material no different than your standard comic book.  I suppose they were both much like the 100-Page Spectacular books DC has put out in recent years and while I have been tempted to purchase a sturdier version of the story, I believe one exists with both "DITF" and "Lonely Place", but even if I ever do, much like my older version of "The Killing Joke", I will always cherish my original.

Reading that story, it was very hard not to feel sympathetic for the character of Jason Todd.  Yes, he was far more erratic than the Tim Drake Robin I was reading or the Dick Grayson Robin I had watched on B:TAS, but he was also far more lost.  His search for his mother, the way he was played, the way in which JT rebelled harder the more Bruce tried to protect him from himself...Jason was the most typical teenager of those three Robins, unfortunately being typical in that world can end in death, and in this case a death voted on by the fans themselves.  As you can see below, it was brutal...

Not to mention the explosion and this unforgettable image that followed...

It was gut wrenching to finally read even if it was a decade after the story was originally published and I had seen Bats go through his breaking, a replacement AzBats, GraysonBats Round One, a plague, an earthquake, you get the idea.  The sadness of this story also made me appreciate how, despite the various writers, artists, and editors in the years since (and the years prior) there is a certain sense of history to the Bat-mythology.  There is a genuine feeling that EVERYTHING that has come before matters and has created the character we know today.  That was part of the issue of the New 52 I suppose, that it had the potential to erase the history that shaped the characters we love.  In the case of Bats, it seems like his history has been left relatively untouched (especially in the case of Grant Morrison penned stories) which is wonderful.  Yes there is the whole hyper decompression side of things, of how so much crap could happen in such a short time, but come on....it's comics, and in the post-Zero Hour DCU look at all the events labeled "Today":

The preceding page was labeled "one year ago" by the way and so all that stuff happened in one year's time...but I am seriously digressing from my point now, it happens, I do write these as I go after all. Back to JT...

So with the impact of Jason Todd's death hanging over pretty much the entire existence of Batman from that point forward,  it blew my mind when Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee and Scott Williams did this in their "Hush" arc:

Holy shit and a half!  Despite the fact that, in that story, JT was revealed to by a Clayface, it still was full of awesome...as pretty much the whole Hush story is in my opinion.  I don't care if it's not much more than getting to see Jim Lee & Scott Williams draw everyone in the Batverse, it is still tons of fun and I totally dig Hush.

So when Judd Winick took over the writing and threw a JT tease into his "As The Crow Flies" story...

...it got me more excited about the possibilities, and not just because of the cool visual of his Hush costume with the "R" on it.  The idea of Bruce having a dead Robin hanging over his head forever is powerful but so is the idea of Bruce having to deal with the Robin that died face-to-face.

Enter: "Under The Red Hood"

Right off the bat there is a tension to this story with commentary about how familiar this new Red Hood seems, Bruce questioning people who have been resurrected like Green Arrow and Superman, but in terms of images, the two powerful ones come when Red Hood takes a crowbar to the Joker and reveals himself there:

And then when he finally reveals himself to Bruce...

He is the antithesis of Batman in some ways, but in a fashion he is Batman without the moral restrictions, he is using the criminal element to control the criminal element essentially.  Yet he is still an angry young man, only now his rage is directed towards Bruce and The Joker and rightfully so.  The latter killed him, and he sees the former as having done nothing about it because Joker is still breathing.  The "But why...why on God's Earth is he still alive?" line that JT delivers pretty much says it all and in turn makes the reader ask the same damn thing.  After all, what would you do if someone killed your child? Would you take the law and life into your own hands as Jason wishes Bruce had done or would you leave it in the hands of the legal system as Bruce chose to? 

That issue, the issues of parental approval and disappointment, "I can do anything you can do only better", those are the things at the heart of Jason Todd's resurrection and the path he chose to travel upon his return to life. Toss aside the somewhat silly, yet totally comic book logical, notion that his resurrection came about as a result of Superboy-Prime punching the walls of reality (see bottom right corner of the image)...

...and just put yourself in either Bruce's or Jason's shoes to try and understand either man's position. 

Imagine being face-to-face with an estranged child you failed epically, finding out that failure has actually been righted, but knowing that its correction may be an even bigger failure, that the child has become the polar opposite of everything you ever wanted.

Imagine being face-to-face with your parent for the first time after years of estrangement, a parent who disappointed you in some epic fashion, and not only has that parent NOT corrected their mistake, they have replaced your role in their life.  Jason was replaced by Tim, the Joker is still breathing, no trophy case memorial in the Batcave can make up for those things, and now JT has made it his mission to prove that he can, in his own fashion, out Batman Bruce Wayne.

Judd Winick handled Jason's journey in as wonderful a fashion as I could have hoped and the only other writer who really got a grasp on the mindset of Jason was Geoff Johns in his one Teen Titans appearance from issue #29 (vol. 3):

His feelings of being forgotten, of being abandoned, those are the exact emotions I would expect from someone in Jason's position and I would have been very curious to see Johns handle JT (at that point) in a regular fashion. 

Still, it is Winick and his obvious love for the character that has defined who he is in my mind, which is why the stupid Bruce Jones Nightwing arc was so disappointing.  I can see JT usurping the NW role and doing his best to ruin the image of the hero, but man was that story a mess...so disappointing.  That disappointment continued in Countdown as writers seemed to forget who JT was (as well as all the other characters) going into this story and, aside from bringing the Red Robin guise into official continuity, it was a waste of time for JT and the readers.

I appreciated his Green Arrow and Robin appearances because I felt they were consistent with who I think JT is at hear, especially the latter because it took place after Bruce's death and includes Jason seeing a message from Bruce that we don't find out about until later.

Now here's where I have some trouble because Jason reemerges during "Battle for the Cowl" looking like this:

My issue was not with his characterization (because I think JT taking up the mantle in Bruce's absence and doing it "better" makes perfect sense) nor was it with the costume per se, my issue was that that particular get-up is quite similar to one worn by the 3rd Batman (Michael Lane) of Morrison's run...

...and that costume presumably went down in the wreckage with Lane, Dr. Hurt, and the helicopter.  Obviously all parties survived, but how did that costume...or even the idea of that costume...end up in the possession of JT?  For that matter, how did Jason end up at that extreme after the fashion in which he walked out of the Robin story arc that went down very shortly before BFTC?

Those questions, the inspiration of Judd Winick's take on Jason, and just a general curiosity to give it a try for the first time all led me to write out a comic book script about JT.  It started as one single issue but as I wrote it took on a life of its own and by the time I finished it up (over the course of a year so thank god I wasn't subject to deadlines there huh?) it had become four issues that bridged the gap between Jason's Robin appearance and BFTC, explained how he got the costume, and hopefully ran consistent with the portrayal of the character as first introduced by Judd. 

I know there are some continuity glitches within the four stories as well as between the stories and what actually happened in the comics but those are all things I intend, for my own continuity obsessed mind, to go back through and rectify at some point.  Also, I did start to write my own take on BFTC since I was somewhat not happy with how the original story was done (rushed & somewhat shallow) but only got part way into my 3rd chapter before I got detoured, and have yet to pick it back up.

All that being said, here are some excerpts from the 1st chapter of my Jason Todd script, I think I may post them all in completion separate from this blog because it's already long enough as it is ;-)

Page 1

FULL PAGE

JASON TODD, in his RED HOOD apparel, stands on a rooftop overlooking Gotham City.  Snow falls around him; an electronic billboard behind him reads “ONLY 3 SHOPPING DAYS LEFT UNTIL CHRISTMAS! GO TO BUYMETOYS.COM FOR RUSH DELIVERY!”

JASON TODD

(Caption)

Another white Christmas, another day for family and friends, another day to pretend it’s all okay,

Page 2

1- Jason hops down onto the fire escape, taking the long way to the street for once. 

2- As he descends, he passes a window with Xmas light and a tree

3- A family eating dinner together

4- An older man by himself watching TV in the dark

5 - Jason stops halfway down, looks out over the city…

JASON TODD

(caption)

No crime.  Maybe the first day since Bruce…(pause)

Page 3

1- An open window, minimal Xmas decoration, a single father and his kid arguing over something catches Jason’s attention for a moment.

2- Back to Jason perched on the fire escape…

JASON TODD

(caption)

…since Batman abandoned this hellhole. 

3 - Jason hops down into a familiar alley from the fire escape. Graffiti is visible reading, “ABANDON ALL HOPE YOU WHO ENTER CRIME ALLEY”

JASON TODD

Wherever you went, whatever you’re doing, I hope you know that you gave up.  In the end, Bruce, you gave up. 

4- Jason pops the seal off his Red Hood helmet.

5 - Jason kneels down, setting the helmet on the ground to his side, a slight smile on his face.

6 - Tight on Jason placing two bullets on the ground next to a couple of withered roses, something left over from Bruce’s yearly visit.

Page 4

FULL PAGE

Jason stands over the flowers and the bullets, helmet in hand at his side, staring at this landmark in Bat-history, the smile on his face faded to solemnity.  The snowfall is getting harder, and you can see the kid from earlier storming away in the BG.

JASON TODD

What would Mommy and Daddy think of you right now Bruce? What happened to that precious vow you drilled into my head once upon a time?

-----

Page 10

1 - Jason Todd relaxes his grip on the gun in his holster, and lets out a deep breath.  For once, he doesn’t want to kill anything.

2 - Amygdala sits down on top of a dumpster against the wall, Kid Jason kind of mulls around the area, kicking at cans and the like

AMYGDALA

Why you run away friend?

KID JASON
I guess I was tired of dealin’ with it all.  Tired of being a disappointment.

3 - Jason Todd winces at that word, cueing a flashback to…

4 - Batman #424 when Jason let someone die, telling Batman “He Slipped”

5 - Back to Kid Jason and Amygdala, Kid Jason looking at something in his hand that he picked up off the ground.

KID JASON

See, I guess I’ve been blamin’ my dad for my parents breakin’ up. He works all the time, never home, hell he won’t even be home for Christmas.

6 - Kid Jason throws the crushed can at the wall..

7 - TINGS down at the feet of Jason Todd.

8 - Jason Todd’s face looks softer than it has previously…

Page 11

1 - Kid Jason looks cold for the first time tonight as he wipes a tear from his eye

AMYGDALA

(clueless)

Chris’mas?

KID JASON

Yeah, Christmas.  So I told him I hated him, and that I wanted to go live with my mom.  Didn’t realize how much it hurt him.

2 - Jason Todd, biting his lower lip until blood comes out cues…

3 - Flashback to Batman #425 when Jason Todd’s mistakes cost three people their lives, and Bruce‘s disappointment…

4 - Kid Jason sits down as Amygdala stands up and wanders over to the opposite side of the alley.  The entry to the alley is visible in the BG behind Kid Jason, the snow and wind have started to pick up again.

KID JASON

So he picked up the phone, dialed my mom up, and told her I had a question to ask her.  Truth is, there’s no way in hell I would wanna go live with that…that…that bitch!

5 - Jason Todd, hands on his forehead, as if the memories hurt…

6 - Flashback to Batman 427 as Sheila Haywood stands next to the Joker over Jason Todd’s bloody, beaten body. 

 7 - Kid Jason, his head also in his hands, wipes the tears away. 

KID JASON

She’s the terrible one. She cheated on my dad, she left us high and dry, she…

MOCKING VOICE

(off panel)

WAAAAAAAAAH! My mommy sucks! WAAAAAHHH!

8 - Four thugs (Jerry, Lynn, Evan, Joe) stand in the entrance to the alley.  Two carry baseball bats, one has a crowbar, the other appears unarmed.  The snow is whipping around them in a frenzy, collecting on their shoulders, hats, and feet.  They have obviously been standing there awhile.

JERRY

Life sucks kid, parent suck too.  Why don’t ya go and cut yourself over it?

LYNN

(swinging the bat at his side)

But first…why don’t you give us everything you got?

----

Page 19

FULL PAGE- OVERHEAD

Police rushing into the alleway, Kid Jason crumbling into the arms of an officer, five dead bodies, lots of blood and snow, and Jason Todd’s head in the corner looking down over the entire scene.

JASON TODD
(caption)

Doubt…

Page 20

1 - Jason Todd in Red Hood helmet speeding away on a motorcyle, snow and wind swirling all around him.

 JASON TODD
(caption)

..the last thing I need is doubt.  But what that kid said, I can’t shake it.

2 - Same

JASON TODD

(caption)

I looked at him, all I could think of was Bruce.  An alley, a gun, a blood covered kid.  Bruce.

3 - Same

JASON TODD

(caption)

I’ve heard it all before, the lines about redemption, but this was different. It wasn’t coming from holier-than-thou Batman…

4 - Same

JASON TODD

(caption)

It was the face of innocence.  It was Dick at the circus, it was me and Dent, it was…it was Tim and Boomerang‘s kid. 

5 - Same

JASON TODD
(caption)

But that way, Bruce…Batman’s way, it hasn’t worked. Joker’s still out there, Harvey, Cobblepot...

6 - The back wheel catches on ice, the bike slides out from underneath Jason Todd, sending him crashing into a snow bank.

Page 21

1 - Jason Todd sits up out of the snow bank, protected from any serious injury by his helmet & body armor. The bike though, the bike is not so good, fixable, but unrideable. 

JASON TODD
Bane…even Bane.

- Jason Todd picks the bike up, looks up at his surrounding, and lets out a bit of a laugh.  He hadn’t been really paying attention to where he was driving apparently.

JASON TODD

(caption)

Bane shattered him, broke him, and Batman still let him live.  It’s like he forgave him, like he didn’t hold that hate in…in his heart.

3 - Jason Todd walking down the road with the bike despite intense snowfall and bone chilling winds.  One gun is missing from his waist holster, unknowingly left buried in the snow.

JASON TODD

(caption)

It wasn’t about hate for Bruce, it…it wasn’t about revenge.  Justice, always justice, blind justice.  He believed in it, maybe to a fault, but he believed in it.

4 - Jason stops walking, pops off his helmet, and looks into the snow.  In the BG, a set of bars, like a gate, are visible.

JASON TODD

(caption)

Maybe justice isn’t possibly always, maybe rehabilitation doesn’t always work, but for Bruce, it was enough to know he tried.  As long as he tried…

5 - Interior of the Batcave, still in disrepair from the Black Glove, shot on the shattered case containing Jason Todd’s Robin costume.

JASON TODD
(caption)

I don’t know if I’ll ever find my way back to your side of the fence Bruce, if I’ll ever be as “Batman” as you dreamed, save that for Tim and Dick, but maybe…just maybe..

Page 22

FULL PAGE

Jason Todd stands just outside the gates of Wayne Manor.  It’s hard to tell the state of the Manor due to darkness and the snow, but it seems as if some windows are still busted out, the scars of what happened in RIP still remain.  I’m picturing a panel from Robin #7 when Bruce sees the state of the manor under AzBats watch.  It’s looming, towering over Jason Todd, imposing, with the words “WAYNE” on the top of the gate half covered in snow.

JASON TODD

..maybe it’s time to go home again.

END ISSUE

---------------

I suppose I will put up the complete scripts after I do some editing for spelling & grammar instead of just a straight C&P like those up there (apologies for any goofs).

As for how Jason has been used since BFTC, well I found Grant Morrison's take on him interesting and you can read about that in more detail in this blog: The Grant Morrison Odyssey Book Five. I was happy Winick came back to the character to follow up on that story arc, and I liked JT and Scarlett heading off into the sunset to do lord only knows what. 

As soon as Dick took over the mantle, I had some idea that perhaps Jason would be the Joker to his Batman but alas that was not to be as the New 52 brought us Dick's return to Nightwing and...

This was a book I have struggled with since its inception.  It's not great, at times parts of it have just been bad (see the Death Of The Family tie-ins), but, for all his flaws, I do think Scott Lobdell has a decent enough handle on Jason Todd (just not his other cast members or logic or his own internal continuity, but the latter two could also be DC editorial).  The book has had its own amazing moments, such as this...

...and has shown a fair bit of promise, enough that I actually referred to it as one of the most improved books of the New 52 at one point and I still stand by that statement.  I am excited to see the road James Tynion IV takes JT and crew down, I have really dug his Talon book thus far as well as his various back-ups and shorts in other Bat-Titles.

So in short, it is safe to say that Jason Todd is one of my favorite characters in comics but just as with every character, he has had his rough patches and needs a caring writer with a vision to handle him.  Judd Winick was that guy and I would love to have him back on a JT book but doubtful that would ever happen. Lobdell seemed to have some grasp on what he was doing, Morrison's take in B&R was very unique and his current "Jason as Wingman" idea in Batman Inc is one I am very intrigued by as well, and time will tell what Tynion has up his sleeve for our middle-child Robin.

With his first appearance apparently being in March of 1983 (Batman #357), Jason is celebrating his 30th anniversary this year.   He has survived being a Grayson-clone, an origin changing Crisis, death, replacement, rebirth, red hair, psychosis, and still he endures.  His tale of redemption is one that endures....

1st Time For Everything: Some Random Thoughts and my 1st Q&A!

It's been awhile since I've addressed ANYTHING comic-book related except Batman and Grant Morrison.  Even my last blog (Owls) was indirectly about Batman in that it was inspired by the current Court of Owls/Night of the Owls arc running through the Bat-Family books.  So in that light I have decided to do something I have never done before in the year-plus I've been doing this blog, a Q&A!  For awhile I thought I would keep anything/anyone pro wrestling-related separate from my comic book blog but over time I have come to realize just how many comic book fans there are in the wrestling world! Who woulda thunk...the fantasy world of pro wrestling having fans of the comic book fantasy world?  A natural crossover I suppose.

So I reached out to one of the people I know thru wrestling who is also a comic book fan & huge horror fan: Rob Dimension, 1/2 of the Extreme Odd Couple Podcast alongside "The King of Old School" Steve Corino.  But before I get into that, I'm just going to shoot out some random thoughts about things I've been reading lately...hence "The Runaways" image at the top.

First off, my friend Pat (follow @patridings on Twitter) recently gave me 3 hardcovers of "The Runaways" series written by Brian K. Vaughan of "Y: The Last Man" & "Ex Machina" comic book fame AND "Lost" on TV.  I started up this book when it first kicked off in 2003 but due to financial constraints I only read it for the first 6 issues. I've seen the various characters pop up elsewhere, most recently in the "Daken: Dark Wolverine" book, but never had any clue what happened in their own story.  Well, after only a week since I started reading the 1st Hardcover, I have plowed through all 766 pages of the first 2 Volumes and am probably 150 pages into Volume 3!  I'm almost mad at myself for not being able to stick with this title after those first 6 issues, but so happy in this world of collections that I am able to read it all at the same time.  To keep this short & simple, let's just say this is a truly unique book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Vaughan's work, or if you were ever a fan of "New Mutants" or "Power Pack" and the like.

Second up, I also recently plowed through the Ed Brubaker/Matt Fraction "Immortal Iron Fist" Hardcover for the first time.  Holy hell is this a great book! For reasons to myriad to list in a short fashion, I will just say that this is an exciting, intense, engaging read with beautiful artwork to go along with it.  Iron Fist has always intrigued me since...hell I think it was a "Marvel Comics Presents" story when I first read him & Power Man...but this story just makes him into a true badass.  I've enjoyed Bendis' portrayal of him in whatever "Avengers" title he is in (too many, get confused) but he's not exactly THIS version of Danny Rand.  I now need to read the Duane Swierczynski's issues that followed to see what/if the lingering plot threads were continued.  If you like Iron Fist, crazy martial arts action, and amazing art work, go pick this up!

I have both "Runaways" & "Immortal Iron Fist" in my Amazon Store linked over there on the side in case you're interested.

Thirdly, I read today that "Flashpoint" is getting turned into an animated movie.  Color my curiousity quite piqued because as you may (or may not) remember from an earlier blog, I was NOT a big fan of the story.  I even gave it a reread since I own the Hardcover (it has something to do with my compulsive need to own major story arcs in both companies) and STILL didn't care for it.  There were cool moments, great character potential, but overall it was just a disappointment creatively and an awful way to kick off the New 52.  The ending was sweet but hated the story as a whole even on 2nd & 3rd readings (Batman: Knight of Vengeance was the only good thing).  All that being said, I am very excited by the idea of this becoming an animated movie because I think it could make for an amazing visual experience if boiled down to just the story of Flash, Batman, and with some more detail given to the Aquaman/Wonder Woman story arc.  I've never been disappointed in the DC Animateds so bring it on!

And finally, DC Comics full court comic book press has fully begun for "Dark Knight Rises" as a million different trades are getting released in the coming months.  Already released were a Bane TPB called "Bane vs. Batman" containing "Bane of the Demon" (where Bane & Ra's Al Ghul join up...take that for what it's worth) & "Vengeance of Bane" (the origin story of Bane); a Darwyn Cooke "Catwoman" trade; the reissue of "Venom" which is the history of the drug that power Bane; a collection of "Birth/Bride/Son of the Demon" which are all Ra's Al Ghul stories; and just today a reissue of "Knightfall", the story of Bane breaking Batman, and the first collection of this story that contains the complete arc in one volume as well as "Vengeance of Bane". 

There's also a "Knightquest" TPB & "Knights End/Prodigal" Trade coming out as well in the next few months, the former making me super excited because it has NEVER been collected before! I'm a big fan of AzBats so I'm super psyched.  Oh yes, and there is also the random rerelease of "Prey" which features Hugo Strange in a prominent role...and he was a character many people hypothesized would be part of "DKRises".  It's a good time to be a Batman fan if you're looking to catch up on your history!

One more finally...just discovered I attended Michigan State University starting in '97, in connecting dorms no less (9 North Hubbard represent), at the same time as Jeff Katz (follow @katzmoney on Twitter) of "Booster Gold" comic book fame as well as a "Snakes on a Plane" associate producer, and the head of the "Wrestling Revolution Project". Just a small world to find this sort of thing out on Twitter  and an example of the amazing power of social networking. It's my blog so therefore it's amazing...

Now onto the main event of this blog, the Q&A!!!

That's Rob Dimension up there...and here's the batch of random Q's I sent him to give me some A's for; give it a read, give his plugs some love, and perhaps I will do some more of these with various other people I know who have love for the comic book world!  Be warned in advance, this one isn't necessarily for the easily offended as you can tell from the first question...


1) Give me some background info on just who Rob Dimension is and why Steve Corino wants him to have AIDS....

Wow, what a way to start off...lets see...Rob Dimension is just a guy who enjoys his family, horror movies and saying the wrong thing, at the wrong time. I've known Corino for over 12 years and since day one, we have enjoyed syaing the most hideuos things to each other, using Twitter and Facebook has made this things more exposed in the last few years. I've managed Steve in Professional Wrestling, plus have worked as his legitimate business manager. We both are a mess, mentally, so I think it makes a good pairing.

As for me, besides working in the world of Pro Wrestling, I have been fortunate to move onto film and Tv work. I'm usually a featured kill, seems Corino isn't the only one who likes seeing me die..haha...but, I really am a nerd for Horror, Comics and Comedy.

2) Do you remember your first.............................comic book?

My first comic book? Not really, I stumbled across titles growing up, they were pretty accessible. I really remember, the Uncanny X-Men (issue 147) being the comic that started my real love for comics. The double issue 150 was my prized possesion for years. Then, I followed Daredevil, Marvel Team Up and the Invaders. Growing up in a small town, we had a comic shop that was pretty friendly, they carried a lot of titles and I can remember seeing X-Men #1 on thier wall and always wanting it.

3) What were the books you read when you were a wee little Dimension? Did you find your tastes in comics changing as you got older?

Comics went through a rough patch, in the mid 80's with me...Arcades became a favorite pastime. I felt that comics exploded prior to that and they started to get watered down. As you get older, sure your taste changes, your interests change. Comics have always had these problems, only so much story can be told. As readers, we need this to happen, as long as they can pull us back in. TV helped, with Saturday cartoons giving us Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, Thundarr and shows like that, made me crave more, once those shows moved on, I grew less interested.  

4) How the hell did you end up running a comic book store and why would you ever stop?

Running a Comic shop is an uphill battle. Talk about outside distractions...TV, Video games, Sports..so many things. I really loved running our store, we grew (and changed locations 3 times as we grew). It's a job that gives you no time off, as my kids grew, my Wife, Kim and I just decided we wanted a bit more of a normal life.

As for the store, we really had a great gaming base. From role playing games 3 nights a week (Dungeons and Dragons, Vampire and the old Marvel RPG) to current popular card games like Magic the Gathering and even Pokemon. Our Pokemon league was the largest on the East Coast, housing nearly 90 players every Sunday afternoon.

I was always an action figure dealer...sounds so weird to say that, but I was there with the rise and boom of the market. Watching McFarlane's toys grow from simply Todd's Toys was great. It seemed everyone had a toy line, then the bubble popped and the market crashed. So, it, once agin, took away from potential in the comic book shop industry.

5) DC or Marvel? Or maybe it's Image/Dark Horse/Boom/Something totally different?

I have always been a Marvel guy, I just prefered their universe compared to DC. I have read some DC stuff, but still can't seem to get onboard with them. In the last few years, I have been the biggest advocate of the Walking Dead series. I feel that Robert Kirkman is a master story teller. His writing makes you care for the characters, he builds the story...when someone dies, you care. They aren't super heroes, they are families..they are alone. They are the Walking Dead. I'm a HUGE Zombie fan, love George Romero's stories...I enjoy Kirkman's world. Can't recommend it enough.

6) Since you mention Walking Dead, any thoughts on the TV adaption vs. the comic book?

The comic is soo good, to go against the grain, I will say this - The 1st half of Season 1 was great, the 2nd half, they almost lost me. I know that it can't be page for page of the comic. Characters like Daryl Dixon are a great addition, but having them to the Disease Control Center was horrible and uneeded. Now, Season 2 was paced so great...it was slow, as it should be. The breakdown of Shane was awesome...so much termoil made this season great. With Michonne being introduced, I can only hope the show does not jump the shark. The prison backdrop is really one of my favorite story arcs in the comic series, so I'm extremely hopeful.

7) Do you have any thoughts on the explosion of comic-centric movies & how they seem to be the keystone of Hollywood right now? And I guess in that same vein, why do you think the billions of dollars the movies make don't translate into actual comic book readers?

Yeah, the explosion of comics onto the screen, as a fan has been great, except when Hollywood turns out some turds. On the flip side, having fans see Hellboy and The Watchmen, knowing that the masses would have never given them a chance otherwise, is great. Iron Man, too me, is the best adaptation to film yet (I've heard The Avengers is better..but time will tell), it told the story so well, the casting was great! Robert Downey IS Tony Stark.

My thoughts on why it doesn't add readers...well, the stories they are telling are stories that have mostly been told, using characters that most know...we need these heroes to do something different. Plus, kids don't read...girls do, boys don't (hence why Twilight, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games have a huge following). Boys are often playing video games. It used to pain me to see kids never give this entire universe of stories a chance. Companies are trying though, some even released the motion comics to try to give you the best of both, but I don't think it made enough of an impact.

Online bootlegging has killed the market, plus they have no collectibility anymore. The "alternate" cover craze is over...that only excites such a small amount. I'm hopeful for comics, but we both know...it's an uphill battle. Stores that are successful are often really involved with their community. Offering a variety of everything, you need to cater to everyone.

8) Since we're on the subject of movies, what's your favorite comic-book related movie?

As I said earlier, Iron Man was perfect. But, let me state this...as for a corny addition, I love Roger Corman's Fantastic Four film that was never released. I just have soft spot for that one..it's awful but, for me, its awful in a good way.

My biggest problem with the Hero-esque films are the orginality. Meaning, we all know the why the Hulk is the way he is..we all have seen Bill Bixby as the Hulk. We know he gets mad, he becomes the Hulk. I wanted to like both movies, the Ang Lee one especially, but just couldn't. The Dark Knight was amazing, but Heath Ledger really made it better...his portral was great. I still enjoy watching Batman nightly on the Hub channel.

9) One last comic/movie question, what do you think of rebooting Spider-Man/Superman after only a few years since the last movie?

Too soon, the Spiderman series that Sam Raimi did had it's good and bad points. The new release looks ok, but, will I go see it? Probably not..it doesnt look like I'm the demographic.

Superman's reboot was horrible I thought. Christopher Reeves is embedded in my brain as Superman and its a tough act to follow. It would be like a reboot of Hulk Hogan...in most people's eyes, Reeves IS Superman. Now, granted, the younger kids probably don't know who Reeves is, but at the same time, will they even bother going to see the new Superman? I doubt it.

10) Now you're obviously a horror buff so what are your thoughts on the horror comics that have been done over the years?

Horror comics are sketchy...I'm a hard sell. So many have been done..poorly. I've always given the typicals like Michael Myers, Leatherface, Jason titles a shot, even Ash from Evil Dead. The titles that are similar to Tales from the Crypt types are tough...times are different, I just don't think I'm their demographic anymore.

Crossed - wow, that was an insane story, I LOVED it. Different take on the zombie/sickness story. Worth looking for.

Hack/Slash - Tim Seeley did an amazing job with this series. The Omnibus' are a must buy...Cassie Hack, she's a hottie and Vlad is the muscle, battling all walks of life killers. This is a great series. I'm not a huge fan of his newer stuff, but his older stuff with Herbert West, Chucky and the rest of their nutty universe was great.

The Living Corpse - another great series by Buz and Ken, a different look on story telling. Their art is a bit over the top, it's raw and gritty...I love their style. Look them up. 

11) Any favorite creators in the genre?

As I said, I often don't think Robert Kirkman is given enough credit...it's because of his work, that I have really fallen back in love with comics. Over the years, the Dark Knight stories were amazing...everyone has a different pick, it depends on what catches your eye.

12) Before we steer off the subject of horror, what's your favorite horror movie?

 My favorite Horror film is John Carpenter's Halloween. The movie has stuck with me ever since I was a kid. The use of music, shadows, the tricks that made Michael Myers seem mysterious is why it worked. How it borrows from Italian film making....I could get so technical on what makes this movie work..haha..but I will spare you my nerdness. Other favorites are George Romero's Dawn of the Dead & Day of the Dead. Plus, Tom Savini's remake of Night of the Living Dead.

I also am a HUGE advocate of Independent film making. I can't encourage people enough to give up and comers a chance. Hate what youre seeing in theaters? Then turn to the Indies.

If you want to read more about my Myers fascination...read this - http://latenighthorrorhotel.blogspot.com/search?q=growing+up+myers

13) And just because I've seen you reference it on Twitter, talk about Matthew Broderick's Godzilla....

I'm a huge Godzilla fan, I love the Japanese Daikaiju scene...the early shows like Ultraman, Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot and Space Giants, but the US version of Godzilla was awful. It was a big lizard, plus..he wrecked Madison Square Garden!! Who does that?? I have given it several tries to put my true Godzilla feelings aside, but I just can't. The US is working on a new reboot, they seem to be trying to keep the Godzilla look intact, but who knows.

For Giant Monsters, I still think Cloverfield was worth the time, plus the Taiwan film, The Host is really good. I like the silliness of a guy in the rubber suit, not everything has to be CGI.

14) Every tried to create your own comic book?

Haha...no, I have enough trouble with developing other projects. I know a lot of talented artists and writers, it's tough. Web comics are getting bigger, while money is getting smaller...I always encourage people to support your local comic book shop. Try to get your kids to read...kids are so busy with other things, comics are more of an Adults market...I wish Kids would just grab something that could peak their interest.

15) Have you tried to turn your son (@LilDimension on Twitter) into a fan of comics at all? I plan on forcing my kids to read comics whether they like it or not...

Little D, my son, is 12 and is into video games, skateboarding and now BMX bike tricks. Getting him to read, its tough. He does enjoy Star Wars and Hulk comics, plus is a fan of the movies. He's VERY critical of stories...he craps on so much. Kids today are different than I was..I would amazed by what they did in Comics, today, these kids have seen everything.

Now, my Daughter, who is 18, is a comic book fan. She is an Art Major, so she appreciates the creativity. She only reads certain titles though, she's a Walking Dead fan, but often reads small , independent company comics. She also enjoys some of the Zenescope titles. She's a freak for the artwork, the more abstract and odd they are, the more she loves them. She likes the dark, twisted side of stories.

All you can do is just show them that there is a whole world out there...try to let them decide and hope they try to read some.

16) On that note, any thoughts on comics as a learning tool? My first exposure to Shakespeare, Milton, Poe, etc was via Chris Claremont X-Men comics...also certainly expanded by vocabulary and forced me to learn new words like antithesis (Shadow King & Xavier moment in Uncanny #278 I think it was).

Sadly, TV is the learning tool now. I think the way to introduce kids to comics again is get them into schools..but, I don't think thats going to happen. As a comic reader, I feel we can detect evil easier, we would have a better thought process in the event of a giant, world eater was to appear. I feel they are a great learning tool, they shaped me into the person I am...maybe that's not that great of a statement, actually.

17) Because it's kind of fun to torture him, I can't let this end without asking about you trying to turn Colby (@colbyisrising on Twitter) into a comic book reader just to drive Steve nuts...

Steve never had much nerd exposure, he was a baseball kid. Colby, while an athelte, is into comics & video games. Colby and I have had talks about the Walking Dead, about classic games like Burger Time..haha and a few others. The last road trip we had, he grabbed an "Civil War" trade that was in my backseat and read it. It does make Steve crazy, he yells at me about how awful of an influence I am...but deep down, Steve knows Colby is a great kid and times are different. Plus, Steve realizes I havent grown up...haha...I think he's happy knowing he has a great kid.

But, yeah, he hates it...so I do instigate it a little.

18) Thanks for your time Rob, now Insert Plugs & Self-promotion Here:

You can here Steve Corino and I ramble every week on our popular Extreme Odd Couple Podcast at www.xocpodcast.com and subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Plus, you can always visit www.RobDimension.com and read my movie reviews, our video reviews and hopefully soon our new web series "Dimension Monster Chronicles".

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That's it for the latest edition of "20 Plus Years..."! Join me next time as I think I might tackle the story that got my interested in the Wally West Flash in the first place, "Rogue War"!