ALL NEW, ALL DIFFERENT
After taking an extended sabbatical, I've finally decided what I want this blog to be. Hold on too your butts.
Initially I thought what I was proposing to do in this space was going to be fun. Creating a weekly or monthly article was a way to engage with fans of my independent comic book titles (LUCIUS HAMMER and THE HARLEM SHADOW) in a convenient and intimate way. I would simply read comics, go to movies and monitor pop culture for topics and then refract them through my unique lens. That sounded simple and furthermore…natural. I am in a word a pop culture consumer. I keep up with the current comics (ULTIMATE SPIDER MAN and BLACK PANTHER…GI JOE and THE TRANSFORMERS). I am a frequent moviegoer, even when the recent offering of quality features seems anemic…POOR THINGS, AMERICAN FICTION and DUNE PART TWO are some standouts I’ve seen lately. I also keep up with a broad swath of podcasts that range from shows like THINKING CRITICAL with Wes to NIGHTCAP with Shannon Sharpe and Ocho Cinco. As an independent reviewer of pop culture, it has been fairly simple for me to just go with the flow, observe what the crowd is doing and follow suit. But after a few years of experimenting with SUBSTACK, with no clear direction other than reviewing the occasional mediocre offerings of the MARVEL Cinematic Universe or the agenda laden politics of modern comic books and TV….I realized the pessimistic attitude in most of my articles was a drag.
So in this new iteration of my online journal…I’m going to reset the board and reboot. The new format of this blog will be to chronicle my influences and interests that have driven me to become a writer in this maelstrom of creative talent. What will the new format look like? For starters I want to contribute a weekly article every Sunday. The articles will usually range from 7 to 10 minutes long. As I become more proficient with my technology…there will be some audio discussions, story readings and towards the end of the summer I hope to add a podcast as a supplement to what I’m doing on substack.
The topic of my first article will be my absolute favorite group of comic book superheroes…THE FANTASTIC FOUR. I figure since we are getting ready to be treated to a third cinematic incarnation of the cosmic quartet (not including the CORMAN flick) that I should explain not only my expectations but why I consider them the greatest superhero group of all time.
Until then my friends….remember to always, keep it gangster.
*Lucius Hammer and The Harlem Shadow are illustrated by Christian Colbert and were created and written by Brian Williams for SOULHAMMER COMICS.