Scarlet Spider #1 Thoughts

Scarlet Spider #1, Marvel Comics

Personal disclaimer: I maintain no rights to the illustrated material, written or intellectual property and have no desire for any commercial benefit from its use. This is a personally run blog with only the intention of reviewing the book for like minded fans/individuals of Marvel Comics.

Now that the formality's are out of the way, lets talk about Scarlet Spider the character and his new entrance into the Marvel universe. Scarlet Spider has always been a favourite character of mine. Growing up, reading Amazing Spider-Man in the late 80's and 90's, the fact that Peter Parker had clones was just something we got used too and these clones had to have persona's and characters which gave them a purpose.

While I'm a bit hazy on the details of who Ben Reilly and Kaine were, Scarlet Spider #1 gives us all the details we need both in the book's narrative itself and in the Scarlet Spider character notes in the back of the book. Scarlet Spider was a bad ass back in the day, he had an all red suite with no webbing and a cheap gym sweat shirt that had the arms torn off with a spider logo painted on. He was Spider-Man on a budget and with an edge (Kaine at the very least). The book introduces us to Kaine and tells us everything we need to know about who he is and where he came from. This may be too much information for long term readers of the Amazing Spider-Man series, but its great for people like me who recently started reading comics again and haven't read all the Amazing Spider-Man back issues. Kaine has all Peter's powers but doesn't feel he should live by Peter's ideals, he is much more free to punish criminals than Peter who struggles with his use of force and curtails it only to disable and apprehend the bad guys.

This darker side, isn't quite to the Eddie Brock Venom days where he webs around town killing purse snatchers and muggers with expository dialogue of him justifying himself. Kaine, knows his past (explained in the book and too immense for me to get into) and also knows that his actions carry consequences. A cross that may be too much for him to bear. Kaine is a very human character, who learns the consequences of great power the hard way, after the damage has been done.

This should be a very promising series, other things I liked about the book are as follows. I loved the art work (especially the cover art). I really enjoy the struggle with the suite, that even though its a different type of spider suite, its still too "Spider-Man" for Kaine to throw it on and start webbing around Houston (the town he gets his start in). I loved the inner dialogue with the character coming to terms with his identity. I also love the new costume, it has certainly seemed to have changed from the 90's version. This suite based on the cover looks like an all scarlet suit e with some darker enhancements around the shoulders (or are those shadows?). Either way the book looks great and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Halifax Citadel 18th Century Encampment Sept 17-18 2011

The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, was host to a 18th Century Living History Encampment this past weekend. Several living history groups were in attendance, incuding the 84th Regiment of Foot, King's Orange Rangers, Halifax County Militia as well as civilian and nautical re-enactors from as close as the HRM and Nova Scotia and as far away as the United States of America.

The tent line ran through the lower ditch of the Victorian fortress ditch and along the south end of the ravelin. As you walk through the tent line you see everything from gentleman of esteem chatting, women and children playing, talking and looking after the camp and men at arms cleaning muskets, sewing loose bits of uniform, playing music. The scene almost in a sense rewinds time, you smell meat cooking over a open fire or iron grill. The various families who see each other in event after event become a small neighborhood. It really is a free environment, everyone wants to welcome you into their camp site, feed you and ask how you were doing, its a family away from family and a community of its own.

A battle scenario was held on the forward side of the hill in which the Rebels held the high ground and had to fend off the King's Redcoats & Militia in a well orchestrated drill. Volley's of muskets rippled off in an exchange of military arms circa 1750-1776. The Redcoats finally overran the Rebels and the hill was taken with minor casualties on both sides.

18th Century living history offers a surreal experience, you get the sights, smells and community of an 18th century padded with modern comforts. Little worry of typhoid or cholera or the dreaded scurvy, but for a weekend you get to forget who you are, where you work and become someone else, another time and another place in a small welcoming society of like minded history geeks, families and a wealth of knowledge so vast you cannot help but learn more in one weekend than the previous years of book reading and research.

Pictures to be added soon with permission of those who took them.

So my computer just died!

Yes, my computer has died and everything on it is in accessible at the moment.If I have any readers, stay posted and I'll get on with the nostalgia, re-enacting and other entries when my computer situation is remedied.

Till then...

Toy Soldiers!

I have been collecting 54mm metal soldiers since I was a small child. I will be choosing a set to review with each new blog entry and explaining when I got it, how I played with it (for those I've had since childhood). I will also throw in some stuff that I've bought over the years to replace things I miss having from my childhood, seeing as nostalgia is all the rage these days.

A picture of my toy soldier collection today.

Game of Thrones, G.R.R. Martin

I loved this book and I have high hopes for the rest of the series (even though I know about the controversy regarding the fifth book). The world feels real and so do the people in it. The "high fantasy" element is quite toned down in this book, yes the world does have dragons and magic but its not over done and taken for granted.

One look at G.R.R. Martin's website (www.grrmartin.com) makes me appreciated the way the man thinks. A avid medieval history enthusiast, collector of 54mm knights & scale models of castles. He crafts the world he creates in his own recroom for us to read about. I know I've been light on the plot, characters, events because I don't want to spoil anything. With the upcoming HBO series, I would whole heartily recommend anyone who wants to watch the show to read the book first.

Sean Bean will be a great Eddard Stark and I'm sure HBO will acquit themselves well (as they are known to do). The TV series will be great but I can't help but think if I watched the show first it would take some of the magic away from the book when and if I decided to read it. It started to happen just having seen the trailer. In my minds eye, I had a younger Brian Cox as Eddard, but after the trailer Sean Bean took over. I had someone else maybe a younger Christian Bale,as seen in Henry V w/Kenneth Branagh. The imagery we project to the characters makes them more alive rather than something we equate to an actor on a tv series.

The pacing can be trying for some, it wasn't for me. I loved the political intrique, the personal quarrels both internal and external and as each chapter is a different point of view of a different character the book never lagged for me. I kept wondering how "Bran" was doing after I hadn't read about him for a few chapters, so the characters started to take on the importance of real people.

So if the trailer for the HBO series peaked your curiosity at all, go out and read this book!

Whisky Notes #2 Glenfiddich 15 year old Solara Reserve

Glenfiddich 15 year old Solara Reserve

Category: Single Malt 15 year old
Presentation: In a typical triangular Glenfiddich bottle with triangle cardboard tube for packaging with a card inside explaining the Glenfiddich line or products.


Tasting Notes:
Colour: Dark, copper colour, very clear
Nose: Fruit, spice, wood possibly oak.
Body: clings to glass leaves streaks seems good
Taste: Oak, spice, dried fruit or raisin, sherry.
Palate: Smooth, not harsh or unpleasant but a slightly bitter aftertaste. No recognizable smokiness or real aftertaste.

Final thoughts: Not a bad introduction it was the first whisky I bought and although I don’t regret it the others I’ve had so far have all been better (in terms of single malts).
It seems fairly inoffensive I cant rave about it though having had a few more to taste to compare it to. I'd still say its worth checking out especially if its on sale again.