Thieves and Liars

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, I felt it was appropriate to post up a link to this fascinating yet unsurprising article on the connection between power and hypocrisy.

Open Up and Say...

Often, I'm bored and disappointed by contemporary horror movies. I doubt I need to name them because horror fans will know which ones I'm talking about. (Hint: Each time they come out with a sequel we roll our eyes and groan "another one?")


One lazy afternoon, I cued up Netflix on my girlfriend's computer and saw Mitchell Lichtenstein's Teeth. Like horror master Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), Lichtenstein mixes the everyday (a girl comes-of-age) with the horrific (she has vagina-dentata) to create an insightful and entertaining story. Funny, witty, original and tasteful with judicious gore, this movie is a welcome relief from the tried and tired horror flick.

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 13, 2010

The Art of the Scream

There are some sounds that just cut through everything, through all the distractions and thoughts and hits your very core. A baby's crying is one of them. A crash is another. These are sounds that highlight our very existence.

As a disenchanted, morose and morbid high-schooler, I listened to a lot of metal, punk and watched what some might say "too many horror movies." Needless to say, I was well acquainted with yelling, grunts, screams and wails of every sort. Then I listened to "Another Body Murdered" by Faith No More and the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E off the Judgement Night soundtrack. The Boo-Yaa Tribe's rhymes were alright and the music was haunting and dynamic. Faith No More frontman Mike Patton's quasi-chanting bolstered the overall feel of impending doom.

(Mike Patton in the middle wearing a red shirt.)

But it was Patton's screams that cut through everything and made me feel for my very life. I literally felt shivers and goosebumps as Patton unleashed his vocal fury into the microphone. Not an easy feat. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. (Ignore the sound bites from the movie.)

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 13, 2010.

Sharks and Digital Death

Very much like the way sharks need to continuously move in order to breathe and therefore survive, having a constant web presence means continued virtual existence. So rather than suffer digital death, I'm reviving my writing blog. (Moreover, I've been writing a lot more lately and not drawing as much.)

Came across this while doing a search for a podcast interview with one of my favorite writers, Warren Ellis. It's a rare audio interview with the English writer. He talks about his novel Crooked Little Vein. If you haven't read any of his works and want to jump right in, I'd suggest starting with his seminal comics series Transmetropolitan. Imagine notorious journalist Hunter S. Thompson in a dystopian future and you have only a kernel of an idea of what the series is about.



For those of you who want just a taste of his writing - though considering his versatility that might be difficult - then you can't go wrong with NextWave: Agents of Hate (a wild, action-packed, subversive take on super hero teams) and Ocean (an excellent blend of action/adventure with science fiction).

Transmetropolitan cover courtesy of Vertigo Comics.

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 12, 2010

RIP JG Ballard

The other day, I learned from my roommate and sci-fi fan Keizo that the great JG Ballard died earlier this month.

I can't explain how much of a loss this is to readers and fans. Grab any of his books and you'll see what I mean.

Learn Journalism

Great and talented folks from various radical and alternative media are doing the annual Grassroots Media Conference in NYC. Learn 'Journalism 101' from the editors of The Indypendent.

Where the Action is

Visit my other blog to see what I've been up to.