Everyone has a favorite and I am no different. Being raised on Superheroes I have learned one thing... It's tough to pick just one! Sure we all have our guy or girl that we love and relate to like no other, but the true beauty of the superhero is the endless variety. I love this because you can find a hero that matches any facet of your individual personally. I am a moody person at times and sometimes a hero I chose reflects the way I feel in my own life. The good ones are the heroes that can speak to you in a more universal way. These are the heroes I want to talk about today... These are my Favorite Superheroes.

1.) Spider-Man : This guy has been a favorite of mine since I could read. I had a reprint of Amazing Fantasies 15 when I was a very young kid and my dad told about his origin when I was very small. I just always thought the idea of being bitten by a spider and getting spider-like powers was awesome. I was so scared of spiders so it didn't make a lot of sense liking him so much? BUT I loved that he'd climb and stick to buildings, had the "proportionate strength" speed, agility, and a "spider-sense."  He was also very smart and able to outwit his more powerful enemies. As I got older I realized how much alike Peter Parker and I were... not that I was good at science or a "bookworm"but I liked that he tried to do the right thing, no matter how many times it turned bad or good for him, he never lost the will to be a good person... a good guy. I loved the relationship he had w/ his Aunt May whose sweet, kind and loving nature reminded me on my grandmother. Peter always struck me as an introvert even before I understood what that word meant and I can relate, being a guy who enjoys a quiet re-change and doing the things I enjoy on my own. He like everyone also has his own insecurities that he struggles w/ day to day and that is why so many people love him. He is impossible not to relate to. 

2.) Batman : Bats is a guy that is more than a man while still being just a man... He's has pushed himself beyond the normal man both physically and mentally. But that's not saying anything new. What I love about Bats his commitment to "strike fear into the hearts of criminals." He can't be bribed, bought or bargained w/... he has one job and it's to see the corrupts and unjust punished. He is the best example of what it means to be human... of what it means to be a man. When you commit to something you stick to it! No matter what. You never give up and never stop fighting for what you believe in. He has a code and he follows it to the letter and doesn't compromise. And he is always more prepared than you. You have to love that about Bats. You might think you thought of everything while you are planning your little crime spree, but Bats has thought about everything the criminal mind  is capable of since the day his parents were senselessly killed in crime alley! An endless supply of cash, power, influence and the most capable brain in comics and its no wonder everybody loves Batman! 

3.) Martian Man Hunter : He stands in the shadow of Bats, Supes and WW. But everyone knows he is the heart of the Justice league. ( or was before the New 52) He has most of the Same powers and abilities as Superman, but he has the most powerful psychic mind in the DC universe and can shape shift. But what you have to love about The Man Hunter is his humanity. He like Superman is the last son of his home world of Mars, but rather than cling to soley his Martian heritage he immerses himself in our world! He takes on several different human persona's and in many ways experiences more about being human than a human. He literally sees life through different eyes and experiences many skin colors. His empathy and compassion know no bounds in the world of heroes, and yet at the end of the day, he is a martian in a world full of intolerant humans! BUT he still chooses to love us and protect us. 

4.) Superman: He is one of the first superheroes ever created and probably the most widely known. He can damn near do anything you can imagine. He is arguably the most powerful superhero in any universe. He literally could be a God in a world full of ants. He could run the world, he could be rich and have anything he wants, but instead he chooses to fight for truth, Justice and the "american way." Superman fights for the world... Not just america anymore... for everyone! It isn't his powers that make him super... it's his kindness and willingness to do whats right. It's the fact that he is literally better than us in every way, but chooses to live w/ us, be friends w/ us and love us. He doesn't have to look out for us, but he does and asks for nothing in return. That is what being a hero is all about!

5.) Captain America : You have to love this guy! Talk about a guy who never says die and will always lay it all on the line for a cause he believes in. Cap is hero I can truly relate to on a personal level. He is creative and draws comics, he tries to be the best person he can be and he grew up the skinniest kid in every possible situation. Let me tell you something about being skinny your whole life... It sucks! And here's the best part... fat people can make fun of you all day and say things like " you weigh as much as my leg," "you are so scrawny" and " try eating sometime." But if we say "man you're a fat ass" then all hell break loose and I am the cruel asshole. Skinny sucks because everyone always underestimates you and thinks you are weak. And sometimes are. You are never the strongest. So you learn to develop a "good personality" and start to truly understand terms like "it's what's inside that counts." See Steve Rogers is a little guy who ends up being one of the biggest bad asses on the planet... He knows what its like to feel weak and uncertain. He has the character and personality of a little guy in the body of an NFL quarterback. His heart is bigger than any other hero because it was huge when he was a nothing that everyone made fun of. He was given everything he always wanted and he respects that gift and values it...he does everything he can to be worthy of it. Every person he saves is a reminder of what he used to be... a guy all heart and no ass to back it up!

6.) Wolverine: I love Wolvie. He is a guy who is pissed off a lot. He says all the stuff we want to say. And the best part is that no matter how bad ass he is or how fast he can heal... he feels everything... literally... He knows what it feels like to be burned alive, beaten w/in an inch his life, stabbed in the face, but he still chooses to get up and fight the good fight. He is pound for pounds the toughest Superhero of all Superheroes. But what's really cool about Wolvies is that he basically is a murderer and assassin. He has spent most of his life killing people. He says it himself all the time... "I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do isn't very nice." He is constantly trying to redeem himself for the things he has done. Who doesn't respect that? A dude trying to change the bad things about himself? He man trying to be a better man. That's one of the best things about his character. He is remorseful and he tries to avoid being "that guy" but sometimes he has to be and sometimes we need him to be! 

7.) Daredevil : I grew up Catholic so I feel DDs pain. I used to tell someone "once a Catholic always a Catholic." I consider myself a spiritual person, but that "Catholic Guilt" is always sort of there telling that that I might go to hell, if I do this FUN thing that I was taught is a sin. That's why I relate to old "hornhead." He is always struggling w/ things he does largely due to his faith. He is a Lawyer by day that beats the shit out of bad guys by night. He has sworn an oath to the legal system, but will bend the law and beat people who slip through the cracks. You have to love that duality. He takes what Batman does a little further. And who can forget that he is also blind? This makes him such a unique and special hero. It's cool and smart that in DDs world Justice is truly blind! Plus, there's the fact that they call him "the man w/ out fear." The idea of not fearing anything is a pretty cool and inviting concept!

8.) Green Lantern : He fights bad guys w/ a ring that is controlled by his will! I think that is a pretty cool power. I mean I think that willpower is an important part of our everyday life. And face it most of us are weak and eat the donut when we know It won't help us get in the shape we want... Lanterns are the best example of human willpower. They can create anything they imagine if they will it to be true! This is a metaphor for life. Its the way we all should live our lives anyway. If you can dream it you can to it. But Like Hal Jordan and the rest of the Corp you must have the ability to overcome great fear. Again great motto for life. I also love the fact that there is a Green Lantern for everyone... Artists, test pilots, architects and jerks that have the will to weld the power of the Corp! It tells me that if I truly decide to do something and I the will to do it, then nothing can stop me... And that does for you 3 reading this too!

9.) Thor : You have to love the reinvention of an old idea. The God who walks w/ man. He likes us for some reason and keeps coming back to earth to help us out. He is also a bad ass who has fun fighting. Sure, I doubt Thor and me would be best buds or anything, (He's kind of a meat head) but I think that's why I like him so much. He is the alpha male on alpha steroids and yet becomes humbled and learns from us. He realizes everything isn't always about him... It's about being a good person(  or god) and doing what's right. I also love the Hammer! I like that you have to be worthy to hold the Hammer of Thor! Although Cap could definitely pick it up if he wanted to. 

10.) Invincible : I know... Who's Invincible right? He's the superhero that everyone should be reading about. He is part Peter Park and Clark Kent and he truly is the best parts of both worlds! I love Invincible because he is always learning. What I mean is that in superhero books the hero basically gets their powers and then starts fighting crime. sure they learn lessons and so... have tragedies. And it basically happens that was for Mark Grayson/Invincible too, but we watch him grow into his "tights." He is constantly drawing lines in the sand only to find out later that sometimes the line becomes more gray or wrong all together. And that sometimes easy solutions that seem wrong are right and harder drawn out solutions that seem right are wrong! His powers are constantly progressing and getting stronger and he comes from a race of aliens that are determined to live on! Above else he is a regular guy... Not super smart or dumb, but average. He learns from mistakes and has some really bad stuff happen to him, but at the end of the day he's just a hero trying to do the right thing!

Okay, that about does it for this list. I am sure I missed some of your favorites... Please keep in mind that I chose many of these heroes based on personal preference. I am sure that these might be too mainstream seeming for some of you, but I like reading about these guys, so screw you, Bub! (thanks for the guts Wolverine) So please share your opinions and comment away. Until next week... Be safe, be good and be kind!

Wow... the year went fast man! I can honestly say that this year has been the worst/best year of my life. I would explain, but you are just here to read about the Christmas movies! It wouldn't be the season of our savior if we didn't have a few cool films to put the Christ in Christmas (Kirk Cameron)! This list is crammed w/ classics so please enjoy! 

1.) It's a Wonderful life : I
2.) Miracle on 34th Street: am
3.) Die Hard :Pissed
4.) Gremlins : my
5.) A Christmas Story :Comments
6.) The Polar Express : were
7.) A Muppet Christmas Carol : lost
8.) Scrooged : and  
9.) National Lampoons: Christmas Vacation : it
10.) Home Alone : makes 
11.) Rare Exports : me 
12.) Edward's Scissor Hands : sad

Well, That was one of the best Blogs I wrote until it was erased right after I finished it. I don't have the patience to rewrite it all right now so I will let you connect the dots as to why these films made my list! I will say a lot of it comes down to great memories w/ great people in my life! Past and present! Feel free to comment or add you favorites on my Facebook page, Twitter or on this site as always! Merry Christmas to all and to all I erased my comments about the films and I'm pissed tonight!

"No man is a failure who has friends." It's a Wonderful Life is w/out a doubt one of the greatest films ever made and DEFINITELY the best Christmas film of all time. I don't think any film can get you into the Christmas spirit better than this film, and that's why I normally start off the season w/ it... But I can't say it's always been that way for me. My love of this film has grown every year I have seen it or glimpsed parts of it through out my life. 

I can remember several important things about Christmas from when I was kid, my grandma's house on Christmas eve, Mom making us breakfast Christmas morning and all the adults watching It's a Wonderful Life, or at least mentioning it at some point on or around Christmas. The first two I absolutely enjoyed as a kid, but when it come the IAWL I literally saw black and white, and as kid black and white sucked and so did old movies! Everyone would crowd around and watch it... some would laugh, some would cry, and at times they'd laugh and cry. I didn't get it and I though Jimmy Stewart sucked... until I was in high school.

In high school I was a pretty angry, sad and introspective. I was worried about things like whether or not I would find my soul mate, how much I hated school, was I going to graduate high school and if I did what the hell was I going to do? I mean sure I had ideas of being a rock star like the late Kurt Cobain, like millions of other teens during that time, I loved art, writing and comics so I thought about doing something w/ that, but I really had not idea what I was going to do? I remember sitting down w/ my mom and brother as a Junior on Christmas break and watching IAWL w/ a completely different perspective! This time I saw this guy who grows up and knows exactly what he wants out of life. He has this grand plan to be a city planner and travel the world. I didn't really know what I was going to do I just had this feeling of wanting to do something great... Something that would change the world for the better. George Bailey new what he wanted to do to change his world, but all the sudden he couldn't. 

George is an every man... He does what he has to do and takes over he fathers Building and Loan putting his own dreams and aspirations on the back burner. I was lucky to grow up around a lot of great men in my life... guys who never made excuses or broke their promises. They maybe didn't always love what they did for a living  or where searching to find the right fit, but they did what they had to. They took it one day at a time and didn't complain. This is what I love about George... he is conflicted throughout the film, but learns to make the best of the life that he has made for himself. He meets a girl and falls in love and she supports him no matter what, even when he's and asshole. He does what he does to honor his father, support his family and help people who need it. He stands up for the little guy as the little guy over the course of the film. I never got what every one else got about this film fully until that night sitting w/ my mom and brother, only a few days before Christmas. 

Each year I watch this film w/ completely different eyes... I feel like different times in Georges life reflect in my own life, just like they do so many other peoples lives. I think back to what I was doing 7 or 8 years ago and having this dream of making a comic, but know real plan... Just this overwhelming feeling the live a dream. Life gets in the way, but you have to accept it and stay focused. I have been lucky enough, like George, to have the support of friends and family as I work towards my dreams. The thing w/ George is that he learns that it really doesn't matter what a man does, it's the the company he keeps doing it. AND what he does to help those around him. He actually gets to see what his world would be like if he were never born. He gets to see just how may lives he has touched throughout his life, and how many people love him. He loses his mind a little to learn this lesson, but in the end he sees that it is impossible to fail w/ so much love around him. I feel this more and more the older I get. It amazes me everyday how someone you don't really know may offer you a kind word or how a friend you haven't seen in awhile pops in right when you need them the most! People concern themselves w/ money and "things" but forget about family, friends and loved ones. George even forgets for a little while. But as long as you aren't a complete dick people will always love you, and even the if you are a complete dick there will always be those one or two people who just won't give up on you.

Okay, I won't jabber anymore. I hope that anyone who reads this will think of popping in It's a Wonderful Life to get in the spirit, but more than that I hope that you take the time help a friend or smile at a stranger... because being human is about being kind to the ones you love... BUT especially the ones you don't have to love. My grandma always refers to herself as "the friend to the friendless" if that doesn't clue you in to why we are here I don't know what will. Take care and happy holidays!

I hate to beat a dead horse here, but it would deeply disturb me if I didn't talk about the new teaser for Star Wars. ( and honestly it would probably disturb you too) The teaser has gotten more press than photo shopped Kim Kardashian's ass on a magazine no one cares about. (or whatever it was?) I think this teaser is an incredible introduction into new era of Star Wars! I want to break this down the best I can, so I hope everyone stays awake... You don't need to fall asleep... this is the blog you're looking for... you can go about your reading... read along. 

I will start by saying that I am completely bias in this subject! As you know have I loved Star Wars since I was a small child, and just the idea of a new film gives me a child like joy! I am super happy that the old cast is coming back to ride again and probably pass the torch as well! I think this will truly bring Star Wars back to it's roots and usher in a new and beautiful era in the franchise! I love that George Lucas was involved in writing the original story treatment for the film, and I am so happy that JJ Abrams is the captain of the ship! I have loved what he has done w/ Star Trek and Lost is my favorite show of all time, so I can't wait to see what he does w/ my most beloved fims franchises! (original trilogy) Perhaps, even more beautiful is that Lawrence ( I wrote Empire, Jedi and Raiders) Kasden co-wrote the new screenplay! So yeah I couldn't be more excited to see this film... Until, I saw the teaser!

I love the teaser because it gave us just enough to get excited and to get our brains working to fit pieces of the puzzle together! I mean we know that there is some sort of "awakening" and it involves the Dark and Light, which we would expect in a Star Wars film. BUT how are they going to be involved? Luke managed to balance the force by the end of Jedi? So what the hell has been going on the past 30 years, since blowing up Death Star 2 ? In the teaser we see storm troopers, X-wings and what looks like a Sith Lord firing up a "broad sword" Lightsaber! The Emperor is dead, but the fighting continued apparently! I love that every ones mind if running wild w/ possibilities! 

 It's awesome that the first shot is a storm trooper on what appeares to be the desert planet of Tatooine, better known as the home world of Luke and Anakin Skywalker! Is it going to start over again where it all began? It certainly looks that way. We even get a glimpse of a girl riding a speeder similar in color to Luke's speeder in A New Hope! The Girl even reminds me of Luke! This has to be Han and Leia's kid! And she has to be getting ready to start some shit! (this hirl has the genes of Han Solo, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker... And who can forget princess Leia! This girl has to be a bad ass)  And guess what!? She looks like she's on Tatooine too! I am a sucker for full circle story telling, and the idea that Han and Leia's kid is sort of following in Luke's foot steps just feels so right! It's a true Skywalker's destiny! 

How awesome was it when the Sith looking character flared the broad saber? Did you notice the sound of it, and that it was sort of flickering and sparking? It's a cry back to the original trilogy where everything was old and worn down! It's as if the saber only has a few fights left in it, like it's been used and repaired over the years and it's gonna flicker out any minute. It seemed to almost sputter on! This tells me that JJ gets it! He understand the value of practical effects and the idea that Star Wars is a future w/ some "dirt on it." It should not be pretty and shiny like the prequels were, which made sense, but still seemed too pretty! JJ know what we want to see!!!  But who is this Sith guy? I keep hearing about these characters called Inquisitors that aren't really Sith, but they aren't good guys either. Maybe he's one of those guys?  So I guess we will have to what and see what this broad saber dude is all about!

Can I be honest for a minute? When they played the Star Wars theme and the Falcon was flying again in a dog fight w/ tie fighters, I damn near cried and I got goose bumps in places I can't really discuss! Again, in the Star Wars universe it's been about 30 years give or take since Jedi, and we haven't seen the Falcon since it blow up the death star! Seeing her again was like seeing an old friend and catching up over a quick beer! It happened fast, but it was worth that wait and made you smile! The Millenium Falcon is in my opinion the greatest space ship in Sci-Fi... It just looks cool. You believe that it really is the fastest ship in the fleet and that it is able to do unbelievable things! But who was flying her?

Where are Luke, Han, Leia, Chewy and the rest? I have heard people asking this question and this was my first instinct after watching the teaser the first time too! I mean it's been awhile and if the falcon it an old friend then the original cast is family! So where the hell were they? Who cares! It's a teaser... a TEASE. We will see them in due time and when we do it will be even more exciting. This film is a year away and I seriously am looking forward to it more than any film I can remember! I was excited for Phantom Menace and I admit... I saw it like 4 times that summer in the theatre and wanted to like it so bad! But I am older now... wiser... strong w/ the force I am, and I can tell you w/ complete confidence that this film will put Star Wars back on the map! There are too many talented people involved to mess this up! My point is that we know the old cast is in the film and that's all we need to know! They sold the original trilogy and they will sell this one too! 

Okay. I have rambled enough! Tell me what you think! And remember... the Force will be w/ you...always.