Author Archives: Mr. H

Titans Clash: Super Cam v. Iron Manning

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So the premise here is a new column where I will take two opposing sides of conflict and pit them against each other here in a titanic literary smackdown! I want to stay as current as possible but I will jump around to all time frames if I feel froggy enough. (Call me the Rip Hunter, of the Blogoverse) 

So with that being said, we had some very significant events happen in the form of two professional championship football games to decide the NFL Championships. We had on the AFC side, the evil empire of the gridiron: New England Patriots, led by Tom “Terrific” Brady vs the Heroes of the Mile High: Denver Broncos flanked by Peyton “Iron” Manning.

Like their many clashes before this again was one for the ages. It had action, drama, suspense, and was full of shock and awe. This was tooth and nail till the final tick of the clock and no matter what side you were on, in the end you were proud to be a football fan. (Being a native New Englander myself I had the urge to wear black in the midst of my morning today but, I came to my senses soon enough) Yes I was surely dejected that my team lost (Don’t look so surprised, I root for the Sith against the Jedi too) but was proud of the fight and they never gave up till the end.

When the smoke had cleared, the victors stood tall. Peyton Manning is going back to his 4th Super Bowl and will try to write what may be the final chapter of a long standing epic career. He will be looking to close this story with a big W on February 7th in front of the bright lights with the millions and millions looking on.

Victory comes with it’s price though. As the now battle weary heroes will have to do battle once more before they can lay claim to that holy grail. One thing is for sure, it will be a challenge the likes of which they’ve never seen.

Which brings us to the other side of the coin. The showdown in the NFC for the vaunted title between the New Kids on the Block: Carolina Panthers spearheaded by their now folk hero-like one “Super” Cam Newton who would throw down with the Wily Veterans of the West: Arizona Cardinals and their field general: Carson “Power” Palmer.

Unlike the AFC showdown this did not resemble anything of a titanic struggle between two forces at all. Super Cam all but dispatched of his foes almost single handedly. It wasn’t even a fight, since the other team decided not to show up. (Sorry Cardinals fans, it was downright embarrassing and I felt truly sorry for you 49-15, your team should have called in sick)

With their enemies vanquished on the field, the stage is now set. Today, February 7th, in Santa Clara, CA we will see a battle for the ages. It’s young gun v. old gun and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Both teams are heading out west to go to war for the richest prize in all of sports: The Beli, er.. Lombardi Trophy. This signifies you are the best of the best in the world. It doesn’t get any more gunslinger than that folks. Problem is, one of these outlaws is going to have to go home empty handed and fully of heavy heart.

So if your on either side, what do you do? Well the key to victory is all in the preparation. You have to know your enemy. In order to do that you have to see what both sides bring to the table.

In today’s society we pretty much revere sports superstars as folk heroes of sorts. Since the place where this final war will take place is aptly known as the “Super Bowl” I thought let’s have some fun and re-imagine both team quarterbacks as just that.

It’s Super Cam v Iron Manning in a battle for all of football supremacy with our sports laden hearts hanging in the balance. Depending on what side you are on, you may classify this as good v. evil, Marvel v. DC, Batman v. Superman, or even yes Trump v. Everyone.

Each hero has their own unique way of achieving victory time and time again. For Super-Cam he has the ability to shoulder tremendous pressure and never lose sight of the victory at all times. His devil may care like approach allows him to thrust himself into the fray in a moments notice and never once have a second thought about the danger involved. The opposing forces always try to bring him down through various schemes but he always pulls through. He’s good at the long bomb and allowing time for the enemy to make a mistake so he may capitalize on it with the help of his troops. To the untrained eye it would almost seem that this man of apparent nigh invulnerability has no weakness to even speak of.

However like even his personal hero Superman, Cam has his form of kryptonite: his ego. The one hindrance that can bring even the mightiest warrior down. He is almost shameful in his display of this fact. For if someone could find away to twist this against him, it could be his Achilles heel. Cam loves to grandstand and play to the crowd as much as possible. If he is put into a situation where he is forced to rely on the other members of his team, he can be neutralized. The bad news is, many a force has tried this and almost next to none have succeeded. He has but one blemishing chink in his armor this season, which makes this almost an otherworldly task to accomplish. It can be done however. If one has not tasted the bitter agony of defeat time and time before, then one will surely be unaware of the pitfalls that may await them. It will be up to Iron Manning and his Denver Revengers to take the fight to Cam. It shouldn’t be a battle of brawn, but better yet a battle of wills. There is one hero in this fight who through constant tribulations, has a will that is tempered.

Which brings us to Peyton now. Peyton is no stranger to the agony of defeat. He has tasted it’s mighty sting before and maybe shall yet again. This time though he has an edge. He is going to war with a foe who is in all new territory. Cam has never been to the mountain top and is not familiar with the terrain that lies ahead. This can be used to his advantage. Being on this front for a long time, Peyton’s skills are not what they once were. That’s okay though, they don’t need to be. All he has to do is be as good once, as he ever was. (Hey that reminds me of a song) If he can be great, one more time it might just be good enough. The good news is, where Cam’s ego is his folly, Peyton is not afflicted the same way. Earlier in his career he may have been more of a center focus, he is now seemingly melded to his team. They are a more in sync machine. All of them with parts to play. This could be a tactical advantage against his one man show foe. If he forces Cam to make mistakes, and the defense keeps bringing the heat, the war could be his. It’s exuberance against experience. The latter may be the one key that can be useful to breaking the Panthers Cinderella spell.

So who will win the battle of skill v. will? Only time will tell. One thing for sure is, history will be made on that day. The remaining question is.. which side are you on?

Originally posted on The Epic Grail

Review: Superman: Lois and Clark #4

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“Last tango in Metropolis”

Superman: Lois and Clark #4 opens with Lois Lane-Kent and Clark Kent spending their anniversary by taking a stroll in their favorite city on the Earth: Metropolis. (Well okay not OUR Lois and Clark and not OUR Earth, but still the iconic pair nonetheless) Long story short, this Lois and Clark are stowaways from a different reality. In fact this couple are from a timeline where they are married and have a young son named Jon. Unlike the current Lois and Clark, they have jettisoned the Kent and taken White (no doubt an homage to their former famous boss, Perry White) as their surnames. They exist in this world basically as unknowns and Clark is a secret Superman in his spare time. (Confused yet? Good.)

The purpose of this flashback is to show Lois and Clark adapting to a familiar but yet new world they are in. Some funny story beats happen here, like them running into vagrant street performer named Harley, who recognizes Clark’s voice immediately. Clark muses to Lois how it’s nice that somethings remain consistent across planes of reality. On their walk they also run into our world’s Jimmy Olsen. Not wanting to blow their cover they dart off to the hotel to continue the rest of their evening.

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When they get to the hotel, Lois tells Clark that she has a special surprise for him. She presents him with a very sleek and cool black and silver version of the Superman suit without a cape. The suit is created with borrowed technology from the military and STAR Labs. Clark asks how and Lois cleverly answers “Being Sam Lane’s daughter can open doors on both worlds.” This was a great scene and nice to see Lois hasn’t lost her tenacity on during her pilgrimage on this world. Plus the reveal of the costume was just damn cool.

We then jump from the loving couple to present day California where Lois is with her younger son Jon, trying to find a safe place to hide out. Unbeknownst to young Jon, his mother is actually Pulitzer Prize winning “Author X” and his dad is the greatest hero any world has ever known: Superman.

The remainder of the issue has Lois encountering an old foe and Clark is fighting for his life in his makeshift Fortress of Solitude against a reinvention of one of his deadliest enemies. Both of our fearsome couple are facing down peril and we get teased as to where it will go next.

Overall: I have to say, I love this book. It feels more Superman than the current Superman titles right now. Seeing Lois and Clark still married having and sharing adventures is an absolute delight. The addition of their son Jon is also great as it shows age in Superman’s journey. (Something that is seriously missing in the regular Superman title these days) The creative team for this is near perfect. You have Dan Jurgens (who is the most prolific Superman artist of all time in my opinion) doing the writing chores here and you get the notion of the care he has for these iconic characters. The art by Lee Weeks is just so clean and classic he doesn’t try to sex these characters up. His line work is so crisp that it maintains a high quality even in just the talking scene beats. I really appreciated all the nods to long time fans, because let’s face it this is Superman. The real one we grew up with, he’s just in a different world. The day the creative team makes Old Clark and New Clark meet face to face is going to be fireworks! Everything about this title is right at the moment. It’s got comedy, action, family and most important a good Superman. Not to mention how badass this Clark’s supersuit is. Sure it may not be the “main” title to follow for DC’s flagship, but if you aren’t I have to say you’re missing out. I will absolutely be back here to visit this next month. Author H signing off for now…

Story: Dan Jurgens Art: Lee Weeks
Story: 8.5 Art: 9 Score: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Dragon Age: Magekiller #2

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“A deed not done…”

Welcome back, when we last left our hunters Marius and Tessa they were stuck between a rock and a hard place in the domain of the powerful Archon Radonis. At this moment they have two choices, complete the mission for Archon Radonis or perish.

Marius, every defiant seems to like these odds but his partner talks some sense in to him quickly. Realizing they were tricked, but don’t really have a choice they decide to hear him out. Archon Radonis names the targets he wishes dealt with and gives them a quick background on each. The targets are part of a secret society called the Venatori and they covet vast power.

Once Marius agreed, he knew this would be no easy task. For each one of these targets are very skilled in the magic arts. Even though they are Magekillers, this would be their most difficult challenge to see through.

Over the course of the next six weeks, Marius and Tessa took their respective targets out one by one, each one presenting an increasing level of challenge. Finally they brought themselves to the fourth and final target. The final one was a woman who lay on a massage table completely unarmed and vulnerable. Marius figured this ought not be too hard to complete, but as he got closer he was taken aback by what he saw: the face of a dear old friend. Not just a friend, but a lover.

The woman, Calpernia is both elated and saddened by Marius. She knows what his presence at this moment means. “Are you going to do it?” she asks Marius. Not even a moment to think, he declines. He cannot take the life of a woman he loved. Calpernia is relieved.

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At this moment Tessa walks in while Calpernia and Marius are in strong embrace and she is not so keen on the decision. Though Marius feels he made the right one, he is reminded he may have now doomed them all…

Overall: This issue moved a lot faster than the first, that being said I enjoyed it more. I really love the duo of Marius and Tessa. They seem to have a sibling rivalry like quality to their relationship. I hope no romantic entanglements are in their future as I really enjoy their banter and dialogue. There is even a funny piece of internal dialogue where Tessa thinks to herself “I didn’t even think he knew how to kiss.” Also the artwork by Carmen Carnero seems even better than last time. She appears to have strayed from the ultra video game style displayed in the the inaugural issue to a more balanced style, which I feel works just as well. She is definitely a talent on the rise to lookout for. I am certainly still enjoying the story too, but being written by scribe extraordinaire: Greg Rucka, I shouldn’t be the least bit surprised. I’m very curious to see where this all leads and wondering if there is a big twist waiting in the wings, such as Marius or Tessa are mages themselves. Guess I will have to wait another month and see. So great issue and “If you’re looking for a comic to tickle your fantasy bone, this is it.” I’m unplugging for now and keep those consoles warm till next time folks!

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Carmen Carnero
Story: 8 Art: 8.5 Score: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #0

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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #0 5

“It’s Morphin’ Time, again”

Ok first off, I don’t know what weird nostalgia storm has come and swept up the interest back in this franchise, but I’m so glad it did. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, brings me back to a much more innocent time in my life, full of good memories and fun. I wasn’t looking for anything ground breaking or epic here, and I darn sure didn’t get it. However, I did get a good time and a fun little read.

Fact, the MMPR (because writing the name out is so much) came onto the scene in the early 1990’s when I was just a pup. I would race home from school to watch the battles with the Rangers against the nefarious monsters of the day and then head out to the backyard and act the scenes out with my friends as our favorite Rangers. (I was always the Red Ranger) Sure the show was goofy and campy as heck, but I didn’t care. In my yet un-cynical child eyes it could do no wrong.

It had a good mix of everything: action, adventure, comedy, superheroes, monsters and robots. How could you go wrong? The costumes for our heroes were cool, and they used ninja skills to fight bad guys while they were in school! (Who didn’t day dream of doing that back in the day?) It was refreshing to be a kid and watch a show about heroes who were only half a decade older than me. It was easy to relate. Plus like most shows for that time period, it had that Smokey the Bear complex where it would teach the audience valuable moral lessons as well.

So when I heard that BOOM! Studios was reviving this comic franchise, I knew I had to revisit the Angel Grove Gang one more time. I had a little trepidation because I knew it could never be as good as I remembered, but it was worth a go.

The moment I gazed at the cover, a lot of my worries were quelled. The cover art is gorgeous. Turns out they did a different cover showcasing each individual Power Ranger, which I think is great. So we are off to a good start.

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I cracked open the book and it had that new comic smell. The art though not as dynamic as the cover, it was still energetic enough to have the feel it needed. The colors are vibrant and the art is a mix of cartoon and realistic having a great balance. We start off with a scene that appears to be foreshadowing with Tommy in his alter ego as the Green Ranger, is standing over the rest of his fallen team presumably with himself as the cause of their destruction.

The next scene we see Tommy is actually in the car with the Red Ranger Jason and riding to Angel Grove High as it was apparently a day dream. I think this was a great way to start out the new series. In one single page, the creative team outlined what is sure to be the main source of conflict for early on in the series. We know that Tommy is going to have an internal struggle because he is being pulled by two forces. That short teaser alone is enough to pull the reader in.

Next we journey to the school halls and get reacquainted with the whole gang: Zack. Trini, Billy and Kimberly. It’s a quick reunion as the team notices Tommy acting weird but before any case can be made, the city is attacked from the moon by their arch nemesis Rita Repulsa and her evil forces.

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The team jumps into action to deal with the threat and the story moves quickly to give old and new readers a glimpse into what they can expect going forward. We get a cool little battle with the team in their Megazord and in the aftermath we meet a new looming threat. Nothing bold, nothing new, but nothing bad either. Just another day in Angel Grove.

Overall: This moved very quickly but at 14 pages, I wasn’t expecting too much in substance. It’s like the trailer for a big movie. The creative team gives you just enough to want to see more in the future. It worked. It successfully reintroduced these beloved characters to a new generation and kept things familiar enough for long time fans. The art by Hendry Prasetya is very nice and clean and lets the story and action move in an unencumbered fashion. Kyle Higgins does a nice job of drafting a plot that is inviting enough to the reader without having to pull any big guns out right away. I think this will be a long spanning epic, which if done right will be extremely entertaining. They say you can’t go home again, but hey there ain’t nothing wrong with a friendly visit. I enjoyed my peek back into this world and it made me want to dust off my old die cast toy Zords for one more adventure for old times sake. Cooler heads prevailed and I didn’t but the thought was there. As long as they keep up a high energy level and throw some new twists here and there, I’ve got no problem in taking a monthly visit. So kids make sure your homework is done and I will catch you all back here in 30 days. Don’t be late for fifth period! I’m teleporting out for now…

Story: Kyle Higgins, Steve Orlando, Mairghread Scott
Art: Hendry Prasetya, Corin Howell, Daniel Bayliss
Story: 7 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Batman: Europa #3

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“Well we will always have…”

So it has been a little while since we last left our dysfunctional dynamic duo and they are much worse off for the wear. The Colossus Virus is raging through their systems at a very accelerated pace and time is most certainly running out. Batman in particular is starting to lose his mind and he wonders if he is becoming more like the Joker with each passing second.

There is a scene that we get of the Joker in Paris, and it turns out he’s traveled there extensively and he’s somewhat of a cult icon there. People are in droves dressed like the Joker and being trendy. (And you thought hipsters were a problem. Just imagine a bunch of psychotic clowns dressed up and serving you a mocha latte, or worse yet reciting some slam poetry) Naturally Batman is a taken back quite a bit by this. Joker informs him that these masses are “his people” and he will handle it from here. He claims nobody has more resources in Paris than him. Batman, desperate to find the Trojan Horse agrees to go along with it.

Batman and Joker then go investigate a murder scene that their unknown enemy dubbed Trojan Horse has just fled. While they examine the body for clues, Batman mulls to himself why he hasn’t taken it upon him to end the Joker once and for all. However the scene that lay in front of them becomes a grand example of why he never crosses the line. Batman deduces that the body has been there well over eight hours, and someone went far out-of-the-way to make a spectacle of it. Whoever had done this, knew Batman would happen upon this sooner than later. (Of course I’m not sure how, as Batman and Joker are rapidly dying from a terrible disease, but hey that’s comic book logic for you.) 

As they flee the scene via Batman’s grapple line with Joker in tow, they land on a random rooftop and surprise, surprise the mystery villain rears his ugly head. He exclaims he’s happy they made it, but thought the virus would have finished them by now. (So why is he waiting there? Optimism, boredom?) The way that the art is done in this issue, is very hard to make out the visage of the villain. He seems to look like someone who has a Joker face and wearing a Batman mask. Trojan Horse then spouts some cryptic dialogue about how they have one more piece of the puzzle to solve. The rest of the issue (which is a very fast read) has Batman and Joker dealing with a hostage situation before realizing they have one more place to go, before their journey ends.

Overall: Okay, so first of all I have to say I was not impressed. The issue read way too fast and not a lot of substance behind it. The quality has certainly dipped from the first two issues, as did the art. Giuseppe Camuncoli is one of my favorite artists currently (he’s killing it monthly on Amazing Spider-Man) but here he just did not bring it. He used a very scratchy style, similar to Dave McKean ala Arkham Asylum, but it did not translate well here. If anything the art detracted from following the story at times. It was very hard to make out the characters you were looking at in some instances. The scene where they revealed Trojan Horse, was difficult to decipher. I’m not sure if the artist was trying to display he was an amalgam style hallucination of both the Batman and Joker themselves. I honestly couldn’t tell. The other thing that bothered me is there almost seemed to be a lack of urgency between Batman and Joker, considering they are about to die shortly. The witty banter that was refreshing in the first two issues, seemed so forced here. Unfortunately the next issue has the rather daunting task of wrapping everything up in time to give a satisfactory conclusion to the tale the creative team has weaved. We’ve got less than a month to go, so I’m hoping that like Batman and Joker I can catch a scenic gondola ride down the Grand Canal to see how this one ends. I’m not here sharpening batarangs or anything like that but, I will remain cautiously optimistic. Well see you all in thirty, last stop: Rome.

Story: Brian Azzarello and Matteo Casali Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Story: 6.5 Art: 6 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass

Review: Amazing Spider-Man #5

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Spidey5cover-final-3c636“Written in the stars”

We are on issue 5 of this new volume, and no luster has rubbed off yet. The creative team keeps everything exciting and fresh. While Spider-Man is a character that is 50 years old, in this iteration he still feels exciting and new. Nothing old hat yet. It’s a good time to be a Spidey fan.

The issue opens with the fallout over their encounter with the newly christened “War Goblins” (which is such a freaking cool concept by the way) with Bobbie (Mockingbird) and Peter (Spider-Man) having a heated conversation over the events of last issue. While Bobbie respects what Peter did to save his Aunt May and her husband, she is an agent and the mission comes first. She voices her displeasure to his decision by giving him a right cross to the jaw. (ouch, you would think his Spider-Sense would have warned him at least there) No time to argue, Peter switches into his civvies and with a push of his chest emblem his Spider-Suit morphs into a spiffy pair of dress clothes. (a nice little nod, to his black costume symbiote days, but without the crazy killer side effects)

Peter and Bobbie jet right back to Parker Industries  (Peter’s moved on up quite a bit from being a lowly shutterbug at the Bugle to being a Tech mogul) for a quick board meeting. Basically with help from SHIELD (Strategic Homeland International Espionage.. bla bla bla, you know the name) they are tracking a criminal organization called Zodiac. (no fancy acronym there) Since they are in London, they narrow down the list of next targets and they are on their way. There is a funny little scene here with the Parker Industries staff with the helper robot offering refreshments and everyone refuses. However we learn that trapped in that humble robot shell, lies the consciousness of the evil Dr. Octopus, which will no doubt be a bother down the road. Another great scene is when they set out to fight the bad guys, Johnny (aka Human Torch) asks Peter which one of his cool new expensive toys will they be taking, and Peter says they are in a town with tall buildings so he’s going to use his webshooters and just thwip it. (This scene made me smile, good ole Spidey doing good ole Spidey things)

Of course this leads us all to the big brouhaha in the London museum, where our heroes battle it out with Zodiac forces and their mysterious leader Scorpio. Spidey and company seem to be holding their own just fine when Scorpio pulls a kamikaze trick up his sleeves forcing retreat. Fury tells Spidey that at least the mission wasn’t a total failure, but Peter can’t get behind that as the distraction allowed Scorpio to get away.

Overall: This title has just been a lot of great big fun. While The Force Awakens recaptured all the magic of the original trilogy for me, this comic is the closest I have seen a creative team come to recapturing the magic of the early days of Spider-Man by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli have done a terrific job of infusing all the elements that make Spider-Man comics great: power, responsibility, angst, guilt and humor. They have found a way to keep that classic feel while putting a nice coat of brand new over it. Sure Peter’s no longer a poor kid from Queens, but hey rich people have their problems too. (just ask Tony Stark and Donald Trump) Starting the arc with a new villain mystery is also part of great classic Spider tales. Scorpio’s identity is revealed here at the end of the issue and I couldn’t help but feel like I was reading an old Spider-Man comic from the 80’s with the Hobgoblin. Very cool stuff indeed. Good job to the creative team. For you can take the boy out of the neighborhood, but you can’t take the neighborhood out of the boy and that’s exactly what they are doing with our friendly neigh.. no, friendly WORLD Spider-Man. Epic ride so far. Catch you next month and Merry Christmas Webheads!

Story: Dan Slott and Christos Gage Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli Cover: Alex Ross
Story: 8 Art: 9 Cover: 9.5 Score: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Batman: Europa #2

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“A Clockwork Monster”

Batman Europa #2 picks up where we last left our new bosom buddies, the Bat and the man who laughs, as they desperately race against time to find the root of the mysterious Colossus disease they’ve been infected with. Time is running out fast though…

Okay so this issue was a blast! It had Batman being his normal stubborn self and the Joker being as carefree and maniacal as ever. (Swear I heard Mark Hamill’s voice reading this, but maybe I’m just in full Star Wars mode) The issue starts with Batman battling Giant Wooden Robots. You heard me. Giant Wooden Robots. At first glance I thought it could be Winslow Schott, aka the Toyman, but that’s too obvious. Of course Batman desperately tries to fight off all attacks by himself but comes to the horrible realization that he can’t do it alone. While trying to save their new cohort, Nina, Batman is just too slow and who saves her none other than The Joker. Batman can’t breathe a sigh of relief too long because the Joker does kill a street vendor but Batman is too sick to stop him. Taking assessment that time is dwindling down they quickly set course to find the Trojan Horse and the mastermind behind all this before it’s too late.

Overall: The issue moved very fast and pushed the story along nicely. It was a lot of fighting,  mixed with a barrage of snappy banter and dialogue. Heck, we even got to see The Joker’s ninja knife skills! On the surface, it almost felt like a buddy cop drama, but with way more underlying hate. Some of the Joker’s lines actually made me laugh out loud. The painted art by Giuseppe Camuncoli was beautiful and much more fluid than last issue. Perhaps that’s why the issue moved faster since the art wasn’t so distracting as last time. We still don’t know the mystery man behind this and that intrigues me. I hope it’s either a Bat-Foe we haven’t seen in a long time who is being elevated (please don’t be Hush), or a brand new villain altogether. I’m hoping for the latter myself. The next to last line from Joker to Batman was great and you’ll appreciate it if you like classic movies, as they set off to their next destination. So till next time Bat-Fans, if this story isn’t your cup of tea, well like the Joker says, you’ll always have…

Story: Mattao Casali and Brian Azzarello Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Story: 8  Art: 9.5 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Greg Rucka talks Dragon Age: Magekiller, Video Games, and more

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Dragon Age Magekiller #1 1Recently I had the great privilege of speaking to a man who’s played with so many of the toys in the Superhero sandbox as well as video games and creator owned properties. His stories and runs are considered classics by so many of comic fandom: Mr. Greg Rucka. He took time out of his busy schedule to let me pick his brain about some of his past work as well as his exciting new comic book Dragon Age: Magekiller…

Graphic Policy: Before we start sir, I just want to state what an honor and a privilege it is to be able to speak with you today.

Greg Rucka: Thank you that’s very flattering.

Graphic Policy: I know it’s pretty early there in Portland (Oregon), how’s it going today?

Greg Rucka: Not too bad. I’ve had my caffeine (laughs) and pouring myself more of it as we speak, you and I will have a fun talk, and I’ll get back to work.

Graphic Policy: Oh absolutely. So I’m excited to get to talk to you about Dragon Age today..

Greg Rucka: Sure.

Graphic Policy: Okay first off, I am not too familiar with the Dragon Age world or its characters, but I read the book and I loved it. It just sucked me in right from the get go. What I liked the most was how from the beginning and for most of the issue, you used the character’s internal narration to start the story. So having not known these characters myself, that gave me a good crash course introduction to these characters in a very fun and fast paced way without being “dialog heavy”. It immediately made me invested to their world and what their mission was. Just very well done.

Greg Rucka: Oh that’s good to hear. Thank you.

Graphic Policy: So in the open of the book particularly the two main characters (Marius and Tessa) are those existing from the Dragon Age franchise?

Greg Rucka: You’re speaking of Marius and Tessa, and no they have not appeared anywhere else. Marius was however mentioned briefly in a short story that was done a couple of months ago about a character who has appeared already in the Dragon Age: Inquisition video game. He’s part of a character named Calpernia and her back story. He (Marius) was made part of her back story as a result of my current work on Dragon Age: Magekiller, and that’s how the franchise tends to build that tapestry. It’s all part of one universe, so I’m very glad to hear your initial positivity. The goal of the book is, one to appeal to fans of the franchise and those people who have played the games and are invested in the universe, who can read this and enjoy it. Then second is, you should be able to come to it knowing nothing about Dragon Age and having played the games or ever read the novels or even seen the animation or anything like that and still find it a good rewarding story. So again that is very heartening to hear your reaction. I appreciate it.

Graphic Policy: Well I am just very pleased with it and I certainly will be picking it up. Could you tell me if it’s an ongoing or limited series? 

Greg Rucka: We’re doing five issues. Frankly with my schedule the way it is, I can give them (Dark Horse Comics) five now. There is an intent to more, maybe later on down the line. I believe BioWare and Dark Horse are in discussion on how they would like to progress. So this is really sort of five issue single story that introduces these characters and takes them, those who are familiar with the game to just prior to the events of the most recent game Dragon Age: Inquisition to almost the end of that game. Recently there has been additional downloadable content for the game and the last DLC takes place maybe two years after the end of the current game, so our story ends well before that point. We designed it that way so it doesn’t interrupt the lead into the 4th Dragon Age game that will be coming out God knows when. (laughs)

Graphic Policy: Well that’s great for fans to know. I noticed you using gamer slang like “DLC” there, are you a gamer yourself?

Greg Rucka: Oh Yeah! When it comes to gaming, you name it, I’ve done it. I’ve table top role played, I’m a board gamer and of course video gamer. I will tell right now the big carrot I have for myself today, is that if I finish the work I have I can get back to playing some more Fallout 4.

Graphic Policy: (laughs) That’s great. I’ve heard that’s spectacular and I’m thinking of picking it up myself soon. 

Greg Rucka: See I’m old school, I’ve played the original Fallout and Fallout 2. I’ve survived in the wilderness for a long time so to speak, before Bethesda got the licensing and did Fallout 3. I liked one and two and enjoyed three. I’m not too sure what they’ve done as I haven’t had the time completely sit down and enjoy it, but it’s thoroughly impressed me so far. I’m a big fan of BioWare titles even going back to Baldur’s Gate for PC.

Graphic Policy: I remember that game too! Had a lot of fun playing it.

Greg Rucka: Exactly and one of the reasons I’m such a fan of BioWare games is that they tell these wonderfully rich stories and are highly story driven and you see that, especially in the Dragon Age franchise. I appreciate it. I’m a big story guy. I’m not necessarily wowed by games with the first person POV or sandbox features. I’d rather have it presented in a way that will show why it matters to me.

Graphic Policy: I like story driven games too. In general I just think the way the whole entertainment industry has blown up, and being to see all these properties that I was and still am a fan of is absolutely amazing. It seems everywhere you look now, there it is. Whether it’s on merchandising or tv or video games, I never saw it coming. To that point to you think this trend will ever bottom out, or is it going to continue to grow?

Greg Rucka: Oh no, I think that there is a whole enormous discussion we could have with this, we could talk about how there is this need we all have to play these games. Or we could state how we are all essentially carrying around super computers in our pockets, to play a game at a moments notice. We could talk about the neurological dopamine feed that you get as a player, when you hit the button and instantly get a reward. I think though if we talk about the economic side of this, which is society, live in a world where entertainment as a whole is owned by a rather small number of corporations and as a fan sometimes you can get very cynical where it comes off as a money grab. However that being said, I think the way society has changed and the way technology has changed, there’s almost no going back from this. Truth be told I love it. I think for me, that goes back to the whole table top gaming thing, where it starts as one quest with one artifact and it just expands and continues to grow. There’s a semblance of pleasure in seeing that. You could take for instance, the Star Wars movies. Sure you could take them just are they are, but then you also have novels, short stories, video games, cartoons, comic books that all expand on the myth and the universe. If you take what Jason (Aaron) is doing in the monthly Star Wars comic and what Kieron (Gillian) is doing with the Darth Vader book, it really is all wonderfully additive stuff. So I just don’t see it stopping for that reason. The only way it’s ever going to slow down is if there’s no profit to be made from it. There is always the risk of killing the “Golden Goose” but in the case of Star Wars, it’s an enormous Golden Goose. It could be done if there was abuse of the franchise and other well-known franchises. I don’t think we will see it anytime soon. To their credit, one of the things I appreciate about BioWare is that they don’t over saturate and market an abundance of unneeded content. They make sure the quality is consistent and that’s always a good thing to see. The only other issue I could see with this boom as a whole, is if there is too much stuff out there. In all honesty there is only a finite amount of consumer cash out there. You know as well as I do, with the case of comics. You have to pick and choose and really narrow down your focus for that week in the face of overwhelming choices.

Graphic Policy: (laughs) Oh yes, all too well. Every Wednesday is new comic book day. It’s grueling. 

Greg Rucka: So you get it.

Graphic Policy: Yes I do. Funny point is that I come from the “dark ages” when all this wasn’t as socially acceptable as it is now and it gives me a chip at times even to the point where my girlfriend will say “You know, you’re a nerd snob”. I get what she means because I might be guilty of being that person who sees a really young kid in a Deadpool beanie and I’ll roll my eyes. It’s a wonderfully weird time for this culture but to me it’s still weird. I just have to remember everyone has their place and need to reel it in sometimes. (laughs)

Greg Rucka: Exactly. Your attachment, all fandom is individual. We find our points of connection differently. For example, my son’s affection for Star Wars isn’t exactly the same as mine and my daughter’s affection for Star Wars won’t align with mine or his. Fandom at it’s best is all-inclusive and at its worst it can lead to a “gamer gate” effect where it becomes artificial gate-keeping. Just because someone likes the same thing you do but for reasons you may hate, doesn’t make their reason any less invalid or authentic. It behooves us all to remember that.

Graphic Policy: I will do well to remember that. I feel enlightened. To your point I mean I am such a big fan of all your previous work in comics that when this opportunity to speak to you came up, I jumped at it. Now not being a previous fan or having a preconceived notion of what Dragon Age entails I wanted to learn more. I will say that it does indeed have crossover appeal to me, and since I like the way your characters and story has been presented that I might pick up the game now. To your credit was that the intent to get that crossover audience and how does that figure you into crafting and expanding upon the Dragon Age world?

Greg Rucka: Of course! First thing I wanted to make sure that the comic was faithful to the source material and presented in a way where the story is compelling enough to make people want more.

Graphic Policy: For me it certainly has been. Like I said I am a very story driven person. Sure I like art too but not at the sacrifice of the story. As long as the story is at a certain level of quality, I’m sure to continue reading. That having been said, I’ve never heard of Carmen Carnero before but I really enjoyed the art it’s very fluid.

Greg Rucka: Well Carmen (Carnero) is relatively fresh, she’s out of Spain. I worked with her on Cyclops, which was a book I did and she’s really dynamite. Seeing how quickly she’s growing and getting stronger and stronger in her work. That’s the beauty of comics. Comics are interesting because to me as an individual I always appreciate the art. It is a visual medium. It’s not a prose medium. The art has to carry the story, it’s just how it is. Now in a weird way I’d never like the art to be so pretty that it detracts from the story, but it has to do its job. Carmen is very good at this and getting even better. That’s a very exciting aspect for me to see her progress.

Graphic Policy: I’m looking at the cover of issue one right now, and it does just that. It immediately grabs the reader, which is great. The other thing I appreciate greatly is that the art is presented by looking at it, with a video game style to it, so the reader could associate it with the video game right away. Was that on purpose?

Greg Rucka: Yes. That was very intentional. I wanted people to make the connection. I’ve read more than one comic that was supposed to be “based” off of the video game and right off the bat it will have things in it that you cannot do in the game. That drives me crazy.

Graphic Policy: Like any of the Arkham books that tie into the video game. They tend to do that and it can be irritating. 

Greg Rucka: It does! That actually bugs me too. So I made a point that anytime in the book where I have a character using a spell in my story, that it must be conceivable within the confines of the game. So ideally even if you haven’t seen it before but if you read the book and have played the game you can say right away “Oh that’s a fire trap spell”! So they can get it and make the connection valid. I mean it doesn’t have to be perfect but there should at least be points of reference.

Graphic Policy: Absolutely. I think the attention to detail enriches the experience more.

Greg Rucka: Thank you.

Graphic Policy: So I came across a quote you had in another article, and I’ll paraphrase here but you described Marius as “The Tiventer Boba Fett” and I think that is just bad ass I must say…

Greg Rucka: Yeah that I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. That was the core idea presented to me and that was presented to me by Mike Laidlaw, who is one of the head muckity mucks on the game. So he presented it to me from the guy who was the lead head writer on the game and was him who presented the idea of a Tiventer Boba Fett. They wanted Marius to be a guy who hunts mages, but doesn’t use magic. When they suggested that to me, I thought it was fantastic and wanted to do that. So you get a good idea like that and suddenly you’re off to the races.

Graphic Policy: Yeah I have to say I really enjoy that twist. It was very well done. It’s also especially cool that even his partner (Tessa) doesn’t use it as well, it adds to it. The other thing I noticed is Marius is written to seem like a very cold character and only self-serving, but when the threat of children being endangered, he springs to their aide. He was all over it, even though it turns out to be a ploy, you still see there is some level of soul to this character. He’s not just the typical 90’s construct of a bounty hunter that has no depth and is decked out with ridiculous pouches and an overstock of guns and it works really well. Like I said this is my first foray into the Dragon Age property and thanks to you it won’t be my last.

Greg Rucka: Well that’s terrific and great to hear.

Graphic Policy: I have to ask though, is it easier and less daunting to write video game characters rather than something based off of a DC or Marvel property?

Greg Rucka: That’s an interesting question. In the case of Marius and Tessa, they have only appeared in Magekiller so I wasn’t in danger of portraying them in a way that was in violation of how anyone else has ever done them. They are my additions to the cannon. So I was the guy who decided how they talked and the way they act. When they interact with characters from the games, then it becomes very crucial that I get those portrayals correct so they are accurate and fair. To a point if you stare at it too long it can become paralyzing. For example I when I’m writing Batman, if I have to approach it as having read every Batman comic ever written and unify every single take into my version of Batman, then I’m going to fail. One it’s not even possible, two no one has that much time even without a deadline. (laughs) Lastly, to be frank, not everything that has been done is good. So the most daunting thing, and this is universal is and I try not to think about it too long for self paralysis reasons. At the end of the day my goal is do a take that the majority of fans will appreciate and enjoy. I want them to come away feeling respect for the thing they love. There’s no way that I’m going to deliver something that will make everyone happy. In fact, no creator can. I suspect that if someone ever managed to do it, then they are cheating. It all goes back to that case of individual fandom. My goal is to have delivered something that more people like it than don’t.

Graphic Policy: Well I think it’s safe to say you’ve accomplished just that many times over.

Greg Rucka: I appreciate that. That really is it. That’s what it comes down to. Right now I’m just really enjoying working on my own stuff.

Graphic Policy: I greatly appreciate your time, this has been fantastic. From a personal standpoint as a fan, I can’t tell you how awesome this is. Last question and I shall leave you to your work. When you are not immersed in writing groundbreaking comic books, who is Greg Rucka and what does he like to do?

Greg Rucka: (laughs) Oh man, you’re very kind. Well let’s see, I try to catch up on my reading, try to spend some time with my family, catch up on my sleep. Mostly I’m just trying to get ready for the next project, the next thing that has to be done. There’s actually not a whole lot of downtime. I wouldn’t mind a vacation soon. It’s been terrific talking to you and if you ever want to follow-up, don’t hesitate to email or call. We could do it again soon.

Graphic Policy: It would be great. I would love to work with you again. I know you’re very busy having your hand in a lot of pots so to speak. Plus you need free time for gaming which I respect very much. 

Greg Rucka: (laughs) I really appreciate that. This has been a pleasure talking to you. Have a good day.

Northeast Comic Con 2015: Interview with John Wesley Shipp

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JWS

At Northeast Comic Con held in Wilmington, MA I was honored to speak with the nicest and fastest man alive and star of both the original The Flash and supporting star playing Dr. Henry Allen on the current TV show The Flash: John Wesley Shipp!

Graphic Policy: Hi I’m with Graphic Policy and just want to say it’s very nice to meet you.

John Wesley Shipp: Well hi there! Nice to meet you too.

Graphic Policy: I thank you for your time today and I just want to say on a personal note, this is pretty awesome. I grew up with The Flash TV show as a kid and I was back in the dark ages where you weren’t afforded the luxury of great Halloween costumes. (laughs) I wanted to be the Flash so bad I had my mother help make me one. So when I was nine I made the worst Flash costume you’d ever seen but I’m so proud of it today.

John Wesley Shipp: (laughs) Yes but you made it. You didn’t order it. You made it. That’s a good deal.

Graphic Policy: Yes sir. These kids are spoiled today.

John Wesley Shipp: Ha ha.

Graphic Policy: That being aside, I just wanted to pick your brain on a couple subjects. I wanted to get an idea of what does it mean to you to be part of these conventions?

John Wesley Shipp: What it means to me is, it’s an opportunity to represent a show that I’m very proud of and a character that I’ve been associated with for 25 years. It’s also a chance to have an exchange of ideas. When I came to The Flash I was not a comic book guy. I didn’t know a lot about comic books, and even to this day I say, you know the Flash is 75 years old this year. The Flash was 50 years old when I came to The Flash. So there are a lot of people here who know a whole lot more about The Flash and his universe in general than I do. So particularly in the Q and A’s there’s a lot of exchange of ideas and I learn some things. Also I started in theater in New York and I’ve periodically gone back and done theater. I’ll be going to North Carolina to do Twelve Angry Men in a theater there next year, which I think is a great play for an election year. The Hudson Theater in North Carolina, it’s great. In theater you get an immediate reaction, good or bad, you know where you stand. The danger with being in a television studio, is you start acting for each other, and you may be doing things that you think are really cool, but if you’re the only ones that thinks so (laughs) it’s not such a good idea. Now also if you ever want just the affirmation, if you ever feel like what you’re doing doesn’t matter, come to one of these things. Then suddenly you go away like “Okay, yeah that’s why I’m an actor.”

Graphic Policy: It’s got to be an amazing feeling for you, when somebody who wasn’t even born when that show came out but still walks up to you and says “Hey I know you, you’re John Wesley Shipp the original Flash, I know you!” How does that resonate?

John Wesley Shipp: Well first of all when they started calling me the “original” Flash it was mind-blowing. It was whoa, wait a minute because the Flash as I say was 50 years old when I came to it, but of course I understand what they mean is that I’m first who’s portrayed the role live action on television. So I used to just sort of shake my head and kind of laugh at the idea that I would be the original anything. Now I just own it. I own it because there’s somebody to pass it off to. That makes me feel the history now that there is someone to pass it off to, and it’s somebody who’s doing such a wonderful job in the character.

Graphic Policy: So true. I think the role you have on that show is just as important as well. It shows lineage, look at how they have Mark Hamill back as The Trickster. It’s just absolutely cool the way they’ve built upon this. Now that it’s cross promotional, since the two shows are going to be forever linked and Grant Gustin does such a great job with you. How does it feel to be back in the clubhouse again?

John Wesley Shipp: Grant does do such a wonderful job. When I saw that the CW had brought the original show onto the scene where all the original episodes are streaming now on CW Seed, you can stream them for free and to promote that, they had taken a scene from the new show where Grant’s (Barry) is in his crime lab looking at a computer screen and they superimposed me as The Flash saying “Come join Grant Gustin watching the original Flash” that just really says it’s pretty cool.

Graphic Policy: It’s tremendously cool and I’m a huge fan of both incarnations of the show. Tell me how besides technology obviously, has it changed the filming process between the original show and today’s version, is there any practices that are totally different? 

John Wesley Shipp: Good question. I would have to answer that with, its possible now. What I mean is that we were coming in trying to do that kind of show, pioneering some special effects, some of the effects I found out when we recently had a 25th anniversary celebration in Los Angeles and Mark (Hamill) was there and Joyce Heiser, Andrew Kreisberg from the new show came, we had the people from the technical departments, I discovered that some of the effects that we were pioneering then are being used now on the new show when it comes to representing the Flash’s speed. The difference is they can do so much more in CGI now, it becomes possible to do the show that we wanted to do in 1990. We were the most expensive show that Warner Bros. had every done for television, and we were consistently behind our air dates and over budget in order to get the quality that we got. We were 9 days per episode, two units shooting simultaneously. I often would be shuttled back and forth between units and now they shoot the show in 8 days. They have a longer post production, but what that does for them and what that gives them is the room to focus on character relationships. They particularly laid that in the first season as Barry (Grant) was getting his powers and learning how to deal with that psychologically as he was trying to implement them in a way to exonerate his father, and all of these things.

Graphic Policy: That to me is the best part about the new Flash show, is that it’s a constant father/son dynamic in most of the characters. You’ve got a father/son dynamic in Barry and Henry, one in Barry and Joe, even one in Dr. Wells to an extent. What is your take on this approach?

John Wesley Shipp: Well that’s a rich one and I’ve been fortunate enough to play that relationship from many different angles. I was “psycho dad” on Teen Wolf, I mean rarely was there a more reprehensible figure, I can barely watch it. Now I’m like “Wherever you got that from John, put it back in the box and let it stay there…”

Graphic Policy: (laughs) Yeah no doubt.

John Wesley Shipp: That is a loaded relationship and it certainly has a lot of resonance. I was lucky enough to be on Dawson’s Creek where Kevin Williamson really got that relationship and wrote it in a unique and special way. Henry Allen, now I mean was there ever a better dad under extreme circumstances than the way they are writing Henry? I love the scenes between Grant (Gustin) and myself and it does make me feel like that show 25 years ago meant something, in our scenes. You know, Grant knows I was the Flash, I know what he’s going through. We have a built-in dynamic, it’s as if I’m a father who was playing football and now you have a son that’s playing football we would have that to share, that’s built into our relationship and to Grant’s and my relationship. That was more particularly at the beginning. Not so much now as he’s come into his own. Anytime you start something there’s an air of tentativeness. “Will it be successful?” Especially when you’re dealing with someone who did it before, even though it only went one season but 25 years later it still has a tremendous following. So there was some of his tentativeness to make his way into it, wondering “Do I really have to kill myself in order to play this character well?” People don’t realize it’s a tremendous job to play a costumed character let alone The Flash. You have the creature in the suit, then you have Barry so you’re really playing two parts. Just watching him deal with it with the grace of a champion has been such a delightful and meaningful process for me.

Graphic Policy: It’s just so awesome to hear you speak so positively about it. Do you have a favorite performance or episode in either series, one that really sticks out with you?

John Wesley Shipp: In the 1990’s show I loved the “Nightshade” episodes. I loved the dynamic for the same reason. I got to play the other side of the mentor/protegé relationship with Jason Bernard. I certainly loved that. Also any time working with Mark (Hamill) was a trip, because he was so over the moon about playing the character and committed to it. For him to give that performance in 1990, no holds barred, no self-consciousness, balls to the walls performance that he gave, again in 1990, remember we were coming into television against the backdrop of the Batman (Classic) TV series, which I was a huge fan of when I was a kid. However there was a huge camp element to it and we were trying to sort of reinvent for television the way the Batman (1989) movie for film, we were trying to change the way superheroes were told on TV. I had a reticence I never wanted to speak in the suit. I only wanted to show pieces of it, shot at dark and at night, because I was a little self-conscious about being turned into a mascot against that backdrop. Now Mark, being a huge comic book fan he was like “Bring it!” “Show me the unitard” and he was off to the races. So that sensibility is now what I see in Grant. Grant wears that suit like a second skin, because it’s now 25 years later and there has been so many projects that have grounded comics, in my opinion where they belong in reality and in truth what are these issues that we are trying to get to, in this Pop Art medium. We even took the Flash to even darker than the Flash is, we had to in order to difference from all the lightness that had been up to at that time. Now Grant jumps and leaps and spins and sings and talks he’s as comfortable in the suit as he is out of it. It’s a wonderful thing to see.

the_flash_1990

Graphic Policy: You can just tell that all you guys and the cast are having a fun time on the show. It’s just really well done. It almost sometimes especially when you and Grant are on screen, it doesn’t even seem like acting. It seems like there is such a natural relationship there, and it’s obvious there’s a bond and it bleeds over into the product we see.

John Wesley Shipp: Sure sometimes it overlaps, and that’s when I think acting gets really interesting. When they needed to, at the beginning of this season (2) when Henry got out. They had to find a way, because I had no interest in sitting around onscreen in my underwear on the sofa eating a pizza and being like “Well you going to the crimelab today Barry?”  I’m not interested, particularly since I’ve played The Flash, ever being seen that way and it would be incredibly boring for me. So the problem was “How to we get Henry off, so we could bring him back when we need him?” That scene was rewritten at least seven or eight times. Andrew (Kreisberg) and I talked about it on the phone, and he said every time they wrote it in the writer’s room and they read it, someone would go “Really?” One time it was that Henry wanted to see the world because Nora, got to see the world and I didn’t. My thing if I was going to get away with leaving, the first episode I’m out of jail and not be stoned by the audience it’s got to be some version of Henry believes it’s the best thing for Barry at this time. Given the fact that the whole episode is about how Barry hurts the one’s he loves, or those closest to him, he’s having a hard time being a superhero because everyone close to him is at risk. Bless his heart, the minute his dad gets out of jail, he throws all that over and we’re going to be roommates and we’re going to have pizza night and I’m ready to go to the movies etc. Henry is wise enough to step back and go, and it was a statement the way it was written, he says “You can’t be what you need to be with me here.” So I came up with the idea of, what if I ask him? What if I hope he says yes? So I turned it into “Do you think that you can be all you are becoming with me here?” At the same time hoping he says yes. He doesn’t say yes, he hesitates and points out that Henry is the only family he has left. Then Henry knows what he has to do and the response becomes “Well that’s not really true, don’t you have another family in this room?” Of course he’s referring to Joe and Iris. So it was something of a shock when one reason I wanted to have them ask that question because Henry and Barry became Old Flash and New Flash. Could he (New Flash) become everything that he is becoming with me here, Old Flash looking over your shoulder? Subtext.

flash1

Graphic Policy: Wow. Deeply layered.

John Wesley Shipp: So that’s what I love when with the audience, you can bring the history in and they question who are they seeing here? Are they seeing John and Grant, are they seeing Old Flash, New Flash, are they seeing Henry and Barry or are they seeing ideally, some combination of the three?

Graphic Policy: Definitely gives so much more depth to these characters. I like that they are using you sparingly, because it would be such a cheap trick if they have you around in the episode doing nothing but saying “Hey come on over to the house today.” I’m up to the mid-season finale which is coming in a few days, but are you going to be used in the second half of this season?

John Wesley Shipp: I will.

Graphic Policy: Terrific. Is there anything you can tease?

John Wesley Shipp: Nothing unfortunately. I learned my lesson. In the first season I was in Cape Girardo Comic Con and someone was taping a Q and A and I had just come from the set and everyone was talking about Legends (of Tomorrow) the new series. I referenced it casually and next thing my google alert started blowing up saying “Did John Wesley Shipp just inadvertantly reveal the name of new series?”

Graphic Policy: Jeez. God bless nerds and the 24 hour news cycle.

John Wesley Shipp: So my publicist from WB when I was working on Dawson’s Creek, said to me “Uh John could you cool it, we haven’t divulged the name of the new series yet.” So now when asked I just go “la la la la la la” and that’s that.

Graphic Policy: Well I just want to thank you for your time again. You went well above and beyond what I expected. It was a pleasure.

John Wesley Shipp: Well thank you.

 

*A phenomenal person and great experience. Always cool to meet someone you looked up to as a kid, but it’s even better when they turn out to be everything you thought they would be. Please make sure to follow John on Twitter @JohnWesleyShipp and all of you check out The Flash on the CW which airs on Tuesday nights at 8PM. I’m personally hoping he’s on the mid season finale. Gotta run!

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