tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34827828318504932352024-02-20T14:45:05.182-08:00Lupine Book ClubThe archives of Tom G. Wolf. Action figures, Lego, toys and books about UFOs. Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.comBlogger384125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-38236425573421715252021-01-16T17:07:00.003-08:002021-01-16T17:07:34.665-08:00Lupine Book Club is dead -- long live Lupine Transmissions<p> G'day gang,</p><p>If you've been visiting this sire of late, you'll notice it hasn't been updated much of late -- nothing through 2020 at all, in fact! </p><p>The reasons for this are myriad, but I guess the simplest is that I lost my interest in running this particular site. My headspace is in a very different place from 2012, when this began; back then I was in the process of recovering from a bit of a breakdown and writing was very therapeutic. </p><p>With that said, it was never really what I wanted it to be; I had visions that were more aligned with something like Dinosaur Dracula or The Surfing Pizza, and somewhere along the way it just fell into me buying a lot of Funko POPs and Lego. </p><p>That's not to say I'm not proud of a lot of the stuff on here; I definitely had a lot of fun, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. </p><p>But with that said, it's time for something new -- and I've recently launched a podcast called LUPINE TRANSMISSIONS, focusing on all things strange, dark and unusual. </p><p>You can download it here directly through the <a href="https://aux-network.podiant.co/lupinetransmissions/">AUX Network</a>. It's also available on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/585CEv3cODI99hSzvYsoSu">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/lupine-transmissions">Stitcher </a>and Apple. </p><p>Meanwhile, you can also find me over at Instagram via @lupinetransmissions</p><p>I'm sure I'll post the odd update here and there, but these are the best ways to find me these days. </p>Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-31956028746261657422019-10-08T01:39:00.000-07:002019-10-08T01:39:00.835-07:00Lupine Transmissions - Broadcast 1 available now <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LTbvzXNSCY9-0BIERt3rraYR2y_ElzW3kjDp4WHXmMoD6IkLJWM967-QZBjcBZMwQ10_om4Sb-MFvrzvmLXPE8-hp8cRJONoQ3gJqSrVNVXhmks3hLsSA2pInU7syMUbP3n_IhaxKtY/s1600/Lupine+Transmissions+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LTbvzXNSCY9-0BIERt3rraYR2y_ElzW3kjDp4WHXmMoD6IkLJWM967-QZBjcBZMwQ10_om4Sb-MFvrzvmLXPE8-hp8cRJONoQ3gJqSrVNVXhmks3hLsSA2pInU7syMUbP3n_IhaxKtY/s320/Lupine+Transmissions+Cover.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
I've been very, very quiet on here on year -- and that bums me out a little, as I've indicated in the sparse number of posts I've made. I've done some stuff over at <a href="http://www.astralnoize.co.uk/">Astral Noize</a> and <a href="http://www.wearethemutants.com/">We Are the Mutants</a>, but the Lupine Book Club has been a but neglected in the process.<br />
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But I've had a good reason -- over the last couple of months I've been working on my first e-zine, <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DYhKlCL7HD-3yhpj9JVRVWdtviKNFwD4">Lupine Transmissions</a></i>. And now it's finally ready!<br />
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As some of you will know, I've been running this site since 2012. But the gap between why I started that site and why I enjoy writing today has become an increasingly widening chasm. I wasn’t confident in the prospect of rebranding the site entirely. The structure that the site itself is built on is also ageing, and I am not a proficient behind-the-scenes tech guy.</div>
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An e-zine seemed the logical solution, and so <i>Lupine Transmissions </i>was born. It’s a format that could be true to the spirit of the site’s origins while also covering a far broader range of subject matter. So with that piece of self-promotion out of the way, what can you expect to find within its pages? </div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">In this issue’s main
feature, I speak with </span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">Dr Laura Thursby</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> about the </span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">cultural influence
of UFOs and extraterrestrials</b><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB">Grindhouse Classics</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"> takes a deep dive into Lucio Fulci’s
1981 release, <b><i>The Beyond</i></b><i> </i> </span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB">DJ Studded Leather Gauntlet</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"> sends his consciousness all the way
from Reno, Nevada to talk his radio show, <b>EVIL SPELLS</b></span></li>
<li><b><span lang="EN-GB">Enter the Crypt</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"> rounds up some of some of the best
metal releases of the last few months</span></li>
<li><b><span lang="EN-GB">Stu Horvath </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">and<b> John “Hambone” McGuire </b>from<b>
The Vintage RPG Podcast </b>drop by to talk Dungeons & Dragons – and let
you know which edition is their favourite.
<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Each issue
I hope to feature a mix of metal, tabletop gaming, paranormal/occult and
horror. As you might imagine, I’m still feeling my way a bit with this one and I’m
not totally certain on release schedule. Maybe quarterly? Broadcast 2, as
you’ll see on the back cover, is scheduled for December.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Beyond that
– well, as with any creative endeavour it will depend on reader interest. So
make sure you tell your friends and get this bad boy distributed far and wide! </span>And don't worry, the blog isn't going anywhere for the forseeable future either. More updates are still planned for the near future. </div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Broadcast One of <i>Lupine Transmissions</i>. You can download it <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DYhKlCL7HD-3yhpj9JVRVWdtviKNFwD4">here</a> -- it's best viewed on a tablet or PC screen, rather than a phone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Tom G.
Wolf, October 2019 <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-53449510838260913512019-07-19T14:09:00.000-07:002019-07-19T14:09:20.764-07:00New article at We Are The Mutants - Men in BlackIf you've been reading the site for any length of time, you'll know that I have a longstanding interest in the unexplained and paranormal. Particularly UFOs and all of their associated phenomena! Well, given that the new <i>Men in Black</i> film was just released, I thought it was time to take a closer look at the possible real-life origins for their entry into the wider discourse around UFOs.<br />
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You can find my piece over at We Are the Mutants -- <a href="https://wearethemutants.com/2019/07/16/harbingers-of-paranoia-how-the-men-in-black-infiltrated-the-ufo-phenomenon/">Harbingers of Paranoia: How Men in Black Infiltrated the UFO Phenomenon</a>.Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-19737356599028048792019-07-03T06:18:00.003-07:002019-07-03T06:18:59.785-07:00New review up at Astral Noize -- Ulver's Drone Activity Yep, been a while between posts again. This time it's mainly been because my old laptop has been on its last legs for a few months, making writing for extended periods on it difficult at best and totally impossible at worst.<br />
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But fear not! I have a new laptop, which is much easier to work with. So I'm hoping to be posting again soon with some kind of regularity. In the meantime, here's a piece I did for Astral Noize -- a review of Ulver's Drone Activity. I've been an Ulver fan for...ooh, about 14 or 15 years by now. This album is one of my favourites from them. If you like ambient or drone, this one is definitely worth a listen.<br />
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You can read the whole thing <a href="https://astralnoizeuk.com/2019/07/02/review-ulver-drone-activity/">here</a>.Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-4726563410362688612019-04-18T05:51:00.002-07:002019-04-18T05:51:35.578-07:00New article up at Astral NoizeThis week I wrote a piece over at Astral Noize, about one of my pickups from this year's Record Store Day -- High on Fire's Bat Salad EP. You can read it <a href="https://astralnoizeuk.com/2019/04/16/review-high-on-fire-bat-salad-rsd-2019/">here</a>. Enjoy!Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-27221722089375074392019-03-16T23:21:00.003-07:002019-03-16T23:21:35.840-07:00New article at We Are the Mutants - Faces of Death Well, it's again been far too long since I posted on here. Work remains busy, and I haven't had much time for the blog in the last couple of months. But articles are planned, and I haven't forgotten about you.<br />
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However, I did recently <a href="https://wearethemutants.com/2019/02/11/to-witness-the-final-moment-40-years-of-faces-of-death/">publish a new piece over at We Are the Mutants</a>. In <i>To Witness the Final Moment: 40 Years of Faces of Death</i>, I take a closer look at cult phenomenon and video nasty <i>Faces of Death</i>, as well as the pre-digital days of "deathsploitation" media. I hope you find it an entertaining read, though I should warn that it may be a bit of a confronting read.<br />
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In the meantime, thanks for hanging in there -- I hope to have some new articles up in the next week or so. <br />
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<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-88137370849891347382019-01-05T16:10:00.000-08:002019-01-05T16:10:15.336-08:00The Lupine Book Club 2018 Roundup<br />
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Well, we’ve come to the start of 2019, which seems totally
insane to me. Where did last year go? Christmas and New Year’s Eve were both
good, and probably the ones I’ve enjoyed the most in quite a number of years. I
worked in retail for many years, so I still get seasonal dread accompanying
this time of year, but it’s finally beginning to fade as the years go by. I
hope you enjoyed yours, too – or if you don’t celebrate, that you had a good time
nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In last year’s roundup, I mentioned it was the first time in
a while that I had really begun to feel like myself again. That continued this
year, but there were still big chunks of 2018 where I felt I was pretty much
operating on autopilot – get up, go to work, go home, sleep, repeat. Things
were busy, busier than I would have liked at quite a lot of points. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In practical terms, this meant I read hardly any books, only
made it to the movies a handful of times, listened to an absolute bare minimum
of new music and didn’t watch too many new TV series. Someone I follow on
Twitter mentioned that they’d finished around <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">150 </i>books this year, which is absolutely staggering to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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You would have also noticed that blog has been pretty quiet
the last few months – but don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about it. Just the
overall busyness contributing to the autopilot factor, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to be fair to myself, most of this was
down to simple logistics; for the first half of the year I was devoting pretty
much every waking moment to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i>,
while the second half saw me starting at a new job. Both of these are
time-consuming enterprises, and that means other stuff has to get left out by
necessity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I should add that I had a pretty positive year on
the whole. My book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i>, came
out – <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tunnels-Tom-G-Wolf-ebook/dp/B07DWC2M78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529810698&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+g+wolf">please
buy and read it if you haven’t already</a></span> – and I’ve really been
enjoying my new day job too. And I did watch a bunch of wrestling and listen to
a ton of podcasts, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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So while I’ve never been a big one for New Year’s resolutions, as 2019 kicks off I find myself reflecting on some of the things I can do better
over the coming 12 months. So here we go – if you’ve got any of your own, feel
free to share them in the comments below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Get better with
time management <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Really, this is the font from which everything flows. <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com/2018/03/novella-update-2-march-2018-you-can.html">I
wrote an article earlier this year about writing</a></span>, and I mentioned
that time management is an important part of ensuring you find time to write. But
you’ll notice I also said I’m a natural procrastinator, and unfortunately that
hasn’t changed either. So I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be more
judicious in my use of social media in particular. It will never cease to amaze
me how much time I can waste on it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Get into better
shape<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As I mentioned above, one of the things I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have </i>spent quite a bit of time doing
this year is watching wrestling. Your own feelings on that will vary wildly,
but I know that for me it’s been a bit of a wake-up call to start taking better
care of my health. I’m now in my thirties, and accordingly there’s been a
natural slowdown of metabolism – but it’s not all down to that, and I know
there are some lifestyle things that I need to take control of more
effectively. I’m overweight and that’s not going to change without a concerted
effort on my part. So 2019 is the year for change! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. More targeted
collecting <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The problem with being a collector is that it’s very easy to
buy something without necessarily thinking about how that thing will fit in
with your collection, or even within your house. I’m sure many of you can relate.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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For example, in spite of not actually reading all that many,
I did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">buy </i>a ton of books in 2018. Now
to be fair, I give a lot of books away once I’ve read them – they won’t be
taking up space forever. But for the meantime, there are quite a few just
lurking there both on my bookshelf and on my psyche. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In practical terms, this year I definitely plan to take a
longer, harder look at things I plan to buy before actually pulling the
trigger. And probably cull a bunch of stuff I simply don’t need. I don’t really
buy into the minimalism trend, but there is something to be said for doing a
bit of a spring clean every now and then.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. More targeted
writing goals <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of my highlights at the end of last year was that I’d
finished the first draft of my horror novella, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i>. Well, I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I
self-published it in June of this year. And if you haven’t already given it a
read, you really should! Inspired by my old hometown and Lovecraftian weird
fiction, my sister called it “nightmare fuel” which is one of the highest
compliments I could have asked for. You can find it <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tunnels-Tom-G-Wolf-ebook/dp/B07DWC2M78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529810698&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+g+wolf">here</a></span>
for Kindle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But where to now? Obviously I want to do another one. But
what will it be? That’s a big question, one that I’m still nutting out. I'll keep things updated on here as I know more. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In 2018 I wrote some stuff that I was really proud of,
particularly over at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://wearethemutants.com/author/tomgwolf/">We Are the Mutants</a></span>
– I hope you enjoyed it too. There are plans for more into the future. But I also spent a <i>lot
</i>of hours working on stuff that felt like, and probably was, a waste of time and energy. Believe it or not, I frequently get people asking me
to write things for them, and I try to be very selective when saying “yes”.
It’s easy to underestimate just how long things can take to produce, and the
temptation for greater exposure is often very hard to say no to.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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There was one site I stopped writing for in 2018. I don’t
want to trash it at all, because it’s a good site and the people who run it are
nice and very professional. But the work I was doing simply wasn’t translating
into additional attention for me or my work, which was a stated part of my goal
in doing it in the first place. It would be a very valuable opportunity for
others looking to build a portfolio when they’re starting out – but given that
writing is already my day job and I have this blog, it simply wasn’t delivering
what I’d been hoping it would. It was time to cut the cord. If you’re a writer
starting out, don’t be afraid to do the same if you feel that the working
relationship isn’t mutually beneficial. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, that’s it for me. Hopefully you found something useful
in there for yourself, too. As always, keep your eye on <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://twitter.com/lupinebookclub">Twitter</a></span>,
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub/">Facebook</a></span>
and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lupinebookclub/?hl=en">Instagram</a></span> to
keep up to date on what’s happening with me and the Lupine Book Club. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-35880015445708845932018-12-22T03:01:00.001-08:002018-12-22T03:01:52.158-08:00POP! New Japan Pro-Wrestling – Kenny Omega<br />
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Jim Cornette has previously noted that he would prefer
wrestling to go back to its territory days, but I feel like he doesn’t understand
that it already <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">has</i> – just on a far
bigger scale than anyone could have anticipated. Thanks to the internet and the
rise of streaming, WWE no longer has a monopoly over wrestling product in a
given market. Sure, they’re far and away the most dominant company, but there
are viable alternatives in a way that simply didn’t exist when I was a teenager
growing up in suburban NSW. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfgw8GzOWy9v1H4ncyk4dlA13-dHbxDdoKqKWEwkI5w3Fn2lmf08pDC3Ctd52KD0HBlloeUUdHC7JBh_SZsxoQNvdMtdu0bLIagbEP3DcKX84oEaOQU_CTx8wXXZbPnUtnodAW2dY_VA/s1600/20181222_214912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfgw8GzOWy9v1H4ncyk4dlA13-dHbxDdoKqKWEwkI5w3Fn2lmf08pDC3Ctd52KD0HBlloeUUdHC7JBh_SZsxoQNvdMtdu0bLIagbEP3DcKX84oEaOQU_CTx8wXXZbPnUtnodAW2dY_VA/s200/20181222_214912.jpg" width="150" /></a>New Japan Pro-Wrestling (or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shin Nihon Puroresu</i> if you want to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> person) are one of the biggest alternatives out there. In
operation since the early 70s, a number of WWE stars past and present have
actually spent some of their formative years with them – Finn Bálor, Tommaso
Ciampa, Daniel Bryan, A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, to name just a few of
the current crop. Yet they’re far more than a simple feeder organisation; for
fans who love wrestling as an entertainment form but are burnt out on the WWE’s
oft-simplistic approach, they offer something genuinely different. And if you
pay close attention, you might see a few wrestling trends take hold before they’re
exported to the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Today we’re talking about one of NJPW’s current biggest stars
– Kenny Omega. Love him or hate him, Omega has helped establish a model of
success for a wrestler outside of the WWE. Admired worldwide for his distinctive
look, clever character work and athleticism in the ring, he’s achieved a level
of mainstream recognition that would once have been unthinkable for a non-WWE star. There are many others more qualified than me to give you a career overview, but <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Omega">his Wikipedia page</a> is a good a place as any to start with.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In years past, this might have meant that he got an action figure. But in 2018, it means that he’s one of the first NJPW wrestlers
to be transformed into a POP. However, he’s not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the </i>first. While Kenny’s box is marked as “1”, the Young Bucks 2-pack
actually beat him to the shelves several months ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-O09YDK8tvhILlXgbj9kYtjxNG_aVfwIoWRo7S-XigcRKhDFa6g4iiVH8q3wgTceRa3OZ6_QCKCHF73ThuiaYzVX21bZFkI4o8Fj5mMD9CwMShavGRoCbWj3BwcaGjrY0pCTUepB-38/s1600/20181222_214946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-O09YDK8tvhILlXgbj9kYtjxNG_aVfwIoWRo7S-XigcRKhDFa6g4iiVH8q3wgTceRa3OZ6_QCKCHF73ThuiaYzVX21bZFkI4o8Fj5mMD9CwMShavGRoCbWj3BwcaGjrY0pCTUepB-38/s200/20181222_214946.jpg" width="150" /></a>I guess the pose is meant to be a rough approximation of his
in-ring gun pose, while not being totally overt. It works well enough, and it
helps him stand out on the shelf among my host of other wrestling POPs. The outfit
is a good look too; I can find a photo of Kenny <a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/life-culture/njpw-champion-kenny-omega-changing-the-wrestling-game">in this outfit</a>, but I’m not
actually familiar enough with his wider career to pinpoint when this was. If you
know, feel free to sound off in the comments. Last but not least, given that his
distinctive curly hair wouldn’t necessarily translate well to the POP format, I
think Funko have hit a good compromise with this braided look. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s not perfect, of course. There are some points where the
paintwork could be a little better – particularly around the hairline – and the
gluing could be a little less obvious, but it’s easily on-par with any of the
WWE figures. My main complaint is more to do with scale.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While POPs have never been the benchmark for scale accuracy,
Kenny appears to be slightly smaller than his fellow wrestling brethren. Kenny
is billed as around 6’ in real life, while Finn Bálor is billed as slightly
shorter – but would you guess that to look at this picture? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hYWPuJxtgCGaDGIY4kC33nh49cmJOmPctLm2Q4VumDEBEasFIBTNgyXOT36f7CCUS5NEjalZpL5R6ejCVL1V4AOKKZX4VvByblroVS2AdYsIEbTwS8FWEw0to9rxbUx85maR-Qchjnc/s1600/20181222_215009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hYWPuJxtgCGaDGIY4kC33nh49cmJOmPctLm2Q4VumDEBEasFIBTNgyXOT36f7CCUS5NEjalZpL5R6ejCVL1V4AOKKZX4VvByblroVS2AdYsIEbTwS8FWEw0to9rxbUx85maR-Qchjnc/s320/20181222_215009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Granted, some of this is likely due to the initial waves of
WWE POPs being released during a period when the style was considerably more
cartoony than it tends to be today. Even the newer releases have preserved that
aesthetic. But it irks nonetheless; anyone buying Kenny is more than likely
doing it to include alongside a bunch of other wrestling POPs who now look disproportionately
large. It’s not enough to suggest not buying it, but it’s annoying. Still, Kenny
has quite a variety of looks, and it’s entirely possible we’ll see more of them
released in future. Perhaps one of them will rectify the issue.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Back in the real world, there are serious questions as to
whether Kenny will eventually make his way to the WWE. For myself, I’m kind of
indifferent. I’m sure some great matches would come out of it but I can’t help
but feel that the rigid nature of WWE’s creative system would probably curtail
his best traits. Speaking to <a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/life-culture/njpw-champion-kenny-omega-changing-the-wrestling-game">Singapore’s
Business Times</a> in November this year, Omega noted: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I am sort of very
much a part of representing an alternative. If my motivation was money, I would
already be in the WWE. I was down on the current product and I wanted to create
a style and have matches that my friends, my family and other athletes could watch
and enjoy. There's a certain kind of wrestling fan that will only like a
certain style. They think that's the right way and that's okay but I'm not
trying to impress those people. Those people are already kind of set in their
ways. I'm trying to open the world to a different style, what pro-wrestling has
the potential to be."<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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The rumours will likely continue for the foreseeable future –
but in the meantime, you can still have your dream matches in POP! form. Scale issues
aside, Kenny Omega is a great start for the line, which will hopefully actually
include some Japanese wrestlers soon too.</div>
Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-76248227902438492292018-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:002018-09-30T06:00:23.997-07:00Lupine Podcast Club <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Podcasts are still a relatively new venture for me. I mean,
back in 2011 I guest-starred on one that was associated with a now-defunct
website I was writing for. But until 2016, I didn’t pay very much attention.
The time and commitment involved just seemed like too much, and I didn’t want
to filter through all the crap to find the good stuff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Still, around that time I had a number of recommendations
from friends, and I thought it was time to dip my toe in. Since then it’s been
quite the voyage of discovery – so while I don’t want to be that guy who’s
always telling you to check out podcasts, you might enjoy some of these if you
like this site. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/i-dont-even-own-a-television/id850580533?mt=2">I
Don’t Even Own a Television</a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent your share
of time watching or reading about bad movies, maybe even listening to a podcast
or two on the subject. That’s fun and all – but what if there was an equivalent
for bad books? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Well, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Don’t Even Own
a Television </i>– or IDEOTV for short – steps up to fill that void in your
life. J. Williams Friedman and Chris Collision take you on a journey through
some of the best and worst trashy books on the market. I’ll freely admit that I
am not a particularly fussy reader; I certainly don’t always agree with their
takes, and I’ve personally enjoyed a bunch of the books featured. But both J
and Chris are very funny and very easy to listen to, and you do also hear about
some interesting books that you might not otherwise have come across. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.maximumfun.org/shows/oh-no-ross-and-carrie">Oh No,
Ross & Carrie!</a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As I’ve noted in some of my posts about reading, I collect
old books about the paranormal and the unexplained. But in day-to-day life, I
tend to think things need to be viewed a little more sceptically. And this is
where Ross & Carrie step in. Ross & Carrie are both former evangelical
Christians who are no longer members of the faith but have retained a
fascination with unusual beliefs. In their own words: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome to Oh No, Ross
and Carrie!, the show where we don’t just report on fringe science,
spirituality, and claims of the paranormal, but take part ourselves. Follow us
as we join religions, undergo alternative treatments, seek out the paranormal,
and always find the humor in life’s biggest mysteries. We show up - so you
don’t have to. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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In a stark contrast to many other pieces of skeptical media,
they largely avoid a snarky or condescending tone. They’ve been doing this in
one form or another since 2011, covering just about every fringe topic you
could think of – and yes, they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have </i>done
Scientology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/death-sentence/id1330059162?mt=2">DEATH
// SENTENCE</a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The second book-related podcast on here. Do you like extreme
metal, leftist politics, reading and crude humour? I sure as h*ck do. DEATH //
SENTENCE is the most recent entry to my regular listening, and indeed it seems
to be a fairly new podcast, apparently having debuted earlier this year. Hosted
by a British guy named Gareth and avant-garde writer <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://twitter.com/langdonhickman?lang=en">Langdon Hickman</a></span>,
they’re two very well-read guys who cover a lot of interesting ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shelf-life-a-collectors-podcast/id1256268741?mt=2">Shelf
Life – A Collector’s Podcast</a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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As you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might </i>have
guessed from looking at this site over the years, I like collecting toys quite
a bit – so it’s only natural that I’d be pushing a podcast about toys on here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Adam and Blake take you through the wild, whacky world of
collecting, along with all the fun and frustration that comes along with it. The show’s been
running since last year, and it’s really hit its stride. Highly recommended,
and both great about interacting with their fans on Twitter too. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.how2wrestling.com/episodes/">How2Wrestling</a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Irish comedian/wrestling tragic Kefin Mahon and his life
partner Jo Graham talk through the basics of wrestling fandom. I came across
Kefin through an episode of the previously mentioned IDEOTV podcast, and
subsequently discovered he had been podcasting across a few different shows for
years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kefin and Jo do a fantastic job of making the
oft-impenetrable world of professional wrestling accessible to the wider
public. If you’ve ever thought about checking it out but weren’t sure where to
start, I can wholeheartedly recommend How2Wrestling a fantastic way to kick
things off. There’s also a great, welcoming Facebook group that’s grown as an
offshoot of the podcast too – Team Friendship. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-76405045240643842972018-09-15T03:06:00.001-07:002018-09-15T03:06:27.357-07:00New true crime piece at We Are The Mutants<div>
As regular readers may know, I write the occasional piece over at We Are The Mutants. Well, another one went up this week -- I tackle true crime for the very first time, with a look at the sinister history of murderabilia. John Wayne Gacy's artwork features prominently, so depending on your workplace, you may find it a little NSFW. You can read it <a href="https://wearethemutants.com/2018/09/10/john-wayne-gacy-and-the-birth-of-the-murderabilia-industry/">here</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can see other guest articles I've written for various sites <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com/p/guest-posts.html">here</a>, too. </div>
Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-12789794230688644402018-09-08T21:15:00.001-07:002018-09-08T21:15:19.327-07:00I got interviewed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAoBq9FUAHiMRjUtcm-9CFmRy4R-wbbY_TSnzdy58tebOOvT_oXlyMVYyqCgnnlsABRkjw9ZHVroJRh1fE86IU0nSSC-YiFQqusEl6B_mnH707KkaDRRckPogip4y4KVNuL3XC3bNRMk/s1600/Lost+Tunnels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAoBq9FUAHiMRjUtcm-9CFmRy4R-wbbY_TSnzdy58tebOOvT_oXlyMVYyqCgnnlsABRkjw9ZHVroJRh1fE86IU0nSSC-YiFQqusEl6B_mnH707KkaDRRckPogip4y4KVNuL3XC3bNRMk/s320/Lost+Tunnels.jpg" width="200" /></a>As some of you are aware, I released my debut novella <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tunnels-Tom-G-Wolf-ebook/dp/B07DWC2M78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529810698&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+g+wolf">Lost
Tunnels</a> </i>back in June. So the other day I sat down with the Australasian Horror Writer’s Association (of which I'm a member) for a bit of a chat about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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You can see the whole thing <a href="https://sinisterreads.wordpress.com/2018/09/05/sinister-reads-new-release-interview-with-tom-g-wolf-on-lost-tunnels/">here</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-53434558082928170322018-08-25T02:47:00.001-07:002018-08-25T02:47:50.592-07:00POP! WWE - Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania XII)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8aApaLPXofox6n2w35TUfLoWyDgdb0Vfd7clt0W8YfOCzg3HbxSDd820SqZRxAUDKTX8l9I5D7MitlQ1wyLh32-VCm2xoVBcHTC5hOGb6xiM3JGqm0r669po6nqN1x4jEBoym6bnLS4/s1600/shawn-michaels-wrestle-mania-xii-50-6068-3__77779__69655.1520558451.512.512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="512" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8aApaLPXofox6n2w35TUfLoWyDgdb0Vfd7clt0W8YfOCzg3HbxSDd820SqZRxAUDKTX8l9I5D7MitlQ1wyLh32-VCm2xoVBcHTC5hOGb6xiM3JGqm0r669po6nqN1x4jEBoym6bnLS4/s320/shawn-michaels-wrestle-mania-xii-50-6068-3__77779__69655.1520558451.512.512.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Long time between drinks, eh? Life has been a bit chaotic
the last few weeks, in part because I’m transitioning into a new role at my day
job. Fun fun fun! But here we are again today. Hopefully things will be back to
a more regular schedule shortly, but of course we’ll have to wait and see. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shawn Michaels was one of my favourite wrestlers as a teen,
but I have no real memory of how that happened. I was pretty indifferent to
D-Generation X, so I can only assume I saw him pull off an impressive match on
an old VHS or something. Given the limited access we had to WWE TV product in
Australia back in the late 90s, it may have even have been as simple as seeing
a photo of him and being impressed by his look. <o:p></o:p></div>
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His flamboyant in-ring work and outfits helped endear him to multiple generations of wrestling fans, both as a member of tag team The Rockers, as a solo star and then part of D-Generation X. A good relationship with management helped keep him in the limelight throughout his long career, but these days he works behind the scenes as a trainer. Now there are plenty of stories about his backstage shenanigans – and
of course, the Montreal Screwjob is always going to loom large in his legacy – but
the man’s talent can’t be denied. He’s one of the absolute best to ever
step in a ring, and was one of the few wrestlers who was lucky enough to go out
on a high. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We did already get a Shawn Michaels POP, a year or so
ago. It wasn’t bad, but it also just kind of looks like a dude with long hair
and flamboyant pants. This particular figure is quite a bit more distinctive; it’s
based on Michaels’ entry gear for Wrestlemania XII. He ziplined to the arena,
and it looked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">amazing</i>! You can watch
it <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5mxCv-4dF0">here</a></span>, if you’re
so inclined. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In POP form, it isn’t quite as spectacular as the real thing.
There’s a bunch of sculpted detail to capture all the intricate elements of the
real outfit, but many of them remain unpainted, which is a bit of a shame. The prototype -- pictured above -- had quite a bit more coverage.</div>
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Perhaps
the biggest issue though is that the face doesn’t really capture Shawn
Michaels' likeness. He’s a very distinctive-looking guy, but at the time he didn’t have
facial hair – so it’s tougher to capture his likeness in the limitations of the
POP format, in comparison to say, <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com/2018/04/pop-wwe-mick-foley.html">Mick
Foley</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Still, the white and silver outfit is quite unique among the
WWE POPs yet produced, and it certainly stands out on the shelf. So Shawn
Michaels is a good, if not quite great POP. I feel like the definitive one may
still be to come, further down the line. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Don’t forget, you can stay in touch with me via the following means:</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Twitter – <a href="https://twitter.com/lupinebookclub">@lupinebookclub</a><o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Facebook – <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub">www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub</a>
<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>You can also buy my
horror e-book, </i>Lost Tunnels<i>, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWC2M78/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529534529&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=tom+g+wolf" style="font-style: italic;">here</a>
<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-2751497436039148122018-08-11T19:16:00.000-07:002018-08-12T02:06:44.668-07:00Lupine Record Club: Immortal - Northern Chaos Gods<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSh74f_VaEGFJqIno05_F9lZhPzLm234dVhD5WxWX0nmd2tlTP-MO_mKmfnoOhRCdXcSx9i2zrOJIz1y3bvlDWi4DzvS6zV3SpH-d2g6u6Iw5eBwgcvsUsUNh246Y_ZSc3c7FQRnPkZOQ/s1600/Immortal+-+Northern+Chaos+Gods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSh74f_VaEGFJqIno05_F9lZhPzLm234dVhD5WxWX0nmd2tlTP-MO_mKmfnoOhRCdXcSx9i2zrOJIz1y3bvlDWi4DzvS6zV3SpH-d2g6u6Iw5eBwgcvsUsUNh246Y_ZSc3c7FQRnPkZOQ/s1600/Immortal+-+Northern+Chaos+Gods.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here we are in 2018, with a new Immortal album! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Northern Chaos Gods </i>comes a staggering 9
years after their last release, with subsequent years caught up in a mix of
touring, legal battles and of course, the departure of frontman Abbath. It’s
not an issue that I necessarily want to dwell on, but it is something that’s
kind of inherent to discussing this album. It's tempting to use language like “Black
Metal Fleetwood Mac” but I feel that would be kind of lazy and also insulting
to people on all sides of the argument.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3>
***</h3>
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<br /></div>
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The splintering of Immortal upset me quite a lot when it
happened. I was making a tentative return to metal after a couple of years off,
and there had been rumblings of a new album after the solid but not spectacular
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All Shall Fall</i>. Abbath and Demonaz
still seemed like an unshakeable duo, coming across as a favourite wrestling
tag team in more ways than one. But obviously not all was well…and, well, I don’t
run a gossip rag here, but let’s just say that accusations got thrown around
from all parties involved. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvsEPlOeWkyF7oBj7PNssnOfQDLqHLl0GOFRDd1InVEby1atgml8oXUGnwQ75B76zq7Ja-RvL6KwZC29SXXOV8tYD8AsjlOl3QojkXSRDazQPrg4SQQan4VsJzG5ff5OojZAjUvpa2fc/s1600/Abbath+and+Tom+G.+Wolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvsEPlOeWkyF7oBj7PNssnOfQDLqHLl0GOFRDd1InVEby1atgml8oXUGnwQ75B76zq7Ja-RvL6KwZC29SXXOV8tYD8AsjlOl3QojkXSRDazQPrg4SQQan4VsJzG5ff5OojZAjUvpa2fc/s200/Abbath+and+Tom+G.+Wolf.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I actually met Abbath in late 2015, when he was visiting
Australia to promote his then-upcoming first album. I was lucky enough to be by
the stage door as he was finishing up soundcheck. He was very kind; he accepted
my compliments graciously and took time to take several photos with an
overweight 30-year old starstruck fan who was trying to find his place in the
world again. It was a small gesture, but one that has stuck with me in the
years since. So it’s fair to say that I would like a reunion of a more classic
line-up, but who knows whether that will happen or not in the future?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Regardless, the dust has now settled and the various
legal issues appear to have been resolved; Abbath has pumped out one album and has
a second in the works, while Immortal have regrouped as the duo of Demonaz and Horgh.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Northern
Chaos Gods </i>has been a long time coming, but was it worth the wait? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
***</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to be fairly extravagant for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Northern Chaos Gods</i> – I picked it up on LP, opting for the <a href="http://shop.nuclearblast.com/en/products/sound/vinyl/lp/immortal-northern-chaos-gods-clear-wblkwht-splatter-vinyl-.html">white with black splatter vinyl</a> (only 500 released, folks!). I had reasonable faith it would be a
high-quality product, if not life-changing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sound harkens back to a pre-<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">At the Heart of Winter </i>Immortal, though the engineering and
production is more in line with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sons of
Northern Darkness </i>– not surprising, given that Peter T<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ä</span>gtgren
is behind the decks again and also filling in on bass. Lyrically, it’s exactly what you’d expect. Blashyrkh and
Ravendark feature prominently. Immortal’s lyrics have always had the qualities
of a <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> campaign sourcebook
filtered through the Norwegian landscape, which is very much one of the reasons
I enjoy them so much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I can’t say I was hugely shocked by any of this; Demonaz
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>the guitarist of Immortal for
years before Abbath and remained the lyricist even after departing from active
musical duties. In 2011 he also released a solo album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">March of the Norse</i>, which definitely shared some auditory similarities
with his main band – this should have been a clue, if nothing else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDgwe9JJVfyY21MuelxCRufhWl0i93a1WwkQd5M7pvFjI5gI6KhOSj3_yWlRTeaX03brHjRf7Lb3WbkR_4axJhXFNLEo5mgrTefB7zU38Gt9RZIVL7pFxbAFYgnmAGxlKDoV_Y7P7frU/s1600/Immortal+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="850" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDgwe9JJVfyY21MuelxCRufhWl0i93a1WwkQd5M7pvFjI5gI6KhOSj3_yWlRTeaX03brHjRf7Lb3WbkR_4axJhXFNLEo5mgrTefB7zU38Gt9RZIVL7pFxbAFYgnmAGxlKDoV_Y7P7frU/s320/Immortal+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yet while it blasts in all the right places, is incredibly and is loaded
with the Immortal tropes we’ve come to know and love over the years, I can’t
help but feel that there’s a certain X factor missing. The easy answer is to
point to Abbath’s absence, but I don’t necessarily think that’s true; one need
only look to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All Shall Fall </i>to see
that his presence is not a guarantee of excellence. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps it’s more to do with the way the genre has evolved over
the years. In the decades since what we now call black metal was developed, it’s
taken on a huge myriad of forms far beyond what Venom, Celtic Frost, Celtic
Frost and their fellow pioneers could have imagined. Today, staunch retro traditionalists
exist alongside the avant-garde – often on the same concert billing – all
competing for the listener’s attention. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Northern
Chaos Gods</i>’ production marks it as a modern product, but in many ways it could
have stepped straight out of the mid-90s. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
*** <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Immortal are, and will likely remain, polarising. Their
willingness to embrace the inherent silliness of the black metal aesthetic – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VBdAY8eA9w">if not always knowingly</a> –
sours many who consider themselves more trve and kvlt. Yet their lack of
involvement in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burzum">far-right
politics</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Norwegian_black_metal_scene#Church_arsons_and_attempts">illegal</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust_(musician)#Conviction_and_release">activities</a>
of many of their fellow Norwegians has meant that they’ve also been embraced by
many who might have never dipped their toes into black metal otherwise. Whether
or not you feel that is a good thing is largely irrelevant at this stage,
because that Viking longship sailed literal decades ago. *EDIT* And just to be very clear, I do not think those activities were good. Nor am I in favour of gatekeeping. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In many ways Immortal were in a no-win situation for this
album. Release an album similar to older material and be accused of trading on
past glories; deviate from the formula and alienate the core fanbase. Ultimately,
my suspicions about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Northern Chaos Gods </i>were
proven correct. It<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is</i> a high-quality
product, though not life-changing – it’s unlikely to win new fans, but I
suspect the band themselves aren’t too worried about that at this point.
Perhaps more importantly, it sets a promising precedent for further material
from the “new” Immortal. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-85467413849355755912018-08-05T00:10:00.000-07:002018-08-05T00:10:07.708-07:00POP! Movies – The Pale Man (Pan’s Laybrinth) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_HD4gdsD2Q98rJ8VZiiLpw8up5EOfMTKR3Jwfqoz7P4jwV82DerRcKTH-BAQk2k86hgeV0ASqbpwlfR_V3ji2QYPGWM_NKhwA0AQsSODKw1NacvLrer-VeWcCLtboShC1E1mj22lH9c/s1600/The+Pale+Man+three-quarter+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="822" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_HD4gdsD2Q98rJ8VZiiLpw8up5EOfMTKR3Jwfqoz7P4jwV82DerRcKTH-BAQk2k86hgeV0ASqbpwlfR_V3ji2QYPGWM_NKhwA0AQsSODKw1NacvLrer-VeWcCLtboShC1E1mj22lH9c/s320/The+Pale+Man+three-quarter+view.jpg" width="274" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had pretty mixed feelings when I first heard about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pan’s Labyrinth</i>. In 2006, the only
Guillermo del Toro films I’d seen were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blade
II </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hellboy </i>– both a lot of
fun, but not necessarily inspiring confidence in the idea of a literal fairy
tale movie. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Additionally, Tim Burton was having quite a commercial renaissance
at the time, and I was worried that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pan’s
Labyrinth</i> would hop on that train and become an overload of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*cough*</b> delightfully quirky <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*cough*</b> imagery*. But I decided to make the trip to Sydney to see it. Fortunately, my fears were
misplaced – it was a fantastic film, and one I think of very fondly to this
day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aside from the faun, one of the most memorable
characters/monsters is the subject of today’s review – The Pale Man. I suppose
to modern eyes the Pale Man probably looks most like Slender Man or
something**. But this was a pre-Slender Man world, so its design actually draws
from the <span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenome#/media/File:Oda_Teme-bozu.jpg">tenome</a></i></span>,
a creature from Japanese mythology. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A hideous, child-eating monster, he’s terrifying when he
shows up. We never get a lot of context about exactly what he is or where he
came from, but it’s readily apparent that he’s been eating children for quite a
long time. del Toro has described the beast as a criticism of the Catholic
Church; hoarding luxuries and preying on children. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The POP itself is…okay. The limitations of the format mean
there’s not as much emphasis on the hand-eyes as there probably should be. Instead,
it’s all about his horribly jowly eyeless face. Far enough, but something is
definitely lost in translation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Additionally, he doesn’t include a stand, nor do his feet
have slots for them. This is a problem, as his inhumanly skinniness is quite
integral to the character. In tandem with the front-heavy head, the slightest
amount of warping to the legs will render him nearly unable to stand. Mine
does, but he’s definitely kind of wobbly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGT3ibeRiIPPqtVDxzrh8YPINRP6ALyLxhclpIrgDPKiZryC5Civ3yS2jQ1o4muPQ_rxtqEgQQLrFTEabUTY7geTlow6riljaW7eMgnYBGdGTpKcqOwx_ICxQfhlLHk7_QWRW8RzD9qs8/s1600/The+Pale+Man+Funko+POP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="865" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGT3ibeRiIPPqtVDxzrh8YPINRP6ALyLxhclpIrgDPKiZryC5Civ3yS2jQ1o4muPQ_rxtqEgQQLrFTEabUTY7geTlow6riljaW7eMgnYBGdGTpKcqOwx_ICxQfhlLHk7_QWRW8RzD9qs8/s320/The+Pale+Man+Funko+POP.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since it’s been 12 years since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pan’s Labyrinth </i>was released, it’s not unreasonable to ask why
we’re only getting merchandise for the film now. I don’t really remember any
from the time – it seems there’s been a few bits and pieces in the years that
followed, but they’ve mostly been high-end busts and statues, well out of the
range of the more casual collector. I can only assume it’s partially fuelled by
the massive success of del Toro’s most recent film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Shape of Water</i>, which in turn has helped spark greater interest
in pretty much all of his past films. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While it’s nice to get an affordable and readily available version
of the Pale Man, I don’t think he’s a particularly great POP. The balance
issues and the loss of some of his most distinct features in translation place
him squarely in the “okay” column. Instead, I’d suggest waiting for the <a href="http://necaonline.com/2018/02/guillermo-del-toro-signature-collection-7-scale-action-figure-pale-man-pans-labyrinth/">upcoming
NECA figure</a>, which also comes complete with his throne. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">*I get </i>why<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> people like Tim Burton, and there are a
number of his films I do enjoy. But he definitely has his signature style
elements, and I had a very low tolerance for them at this particular time of my
life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">** Interestingly, Doug
Jones did play a kind of ersatz Slender Man in a <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Always_Watching:_A_Marble_Hornets_Story">2015
horror film</a></span>. </span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-1618748680202347982018-07-21T06:05:00.001-07:002018-07-21T06:05:40.694-07:00POP! WWE – “The Demon” Finn Balor <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuJvjLbLv07FqmMGUdl16znyeYiT-g3ptODwOoOyrq97_a48syta0mmbOdwgd5HPUqhxCqCwVnDT8Bs9fNU46zcphZKgtCDMGyf900FpFMQeSqalPqfU3u897DITkyMRntKZ6uIhUQis/s1600/POP%2521+WWE+-+Finn+Balor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuJvjLbLv07FqmMGUdl16znyeYiT-g3ptODwOoOyrq97_a48syta0mmbOdwgd5HPUqhxCqCwVnDT8Bs9fNU46zcphZKgtCDMGyf900FpFMQeSqalPqfU3u897DITkyMRntKZ6uIhUQis/s320/POP%2521+WWE+-+Finn+Balor.jpg" width="240" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">POP! WWE – “The
Demon” Finn Balor <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it’s been quite a few weeks since I last posted on
here. Things have been a little chaotic, with me starting a new job, along with
a variety of family illnesses. But here we are back again, and hopefully it won’t
be anywhere near as long until the next. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve been watching wrestling again over the last few
months, Finn Balor has become one of my favourite performers. He’s not being
used as effectively as he could or should be, but he’s prominent on RAW and you
can always guarantee he’ll put on a good show. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, at first glance he might seem an odd choice for a POP.
He doesn’t tend to be the most flamboyantly dressed wrestler in the business –
black, blue or silver trunks with matching boots. But every now and then, he’ll
emerge for his matches as The Demon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In layman’s terms, he essentially throws on a whole bunch of
body paint to look like the demon king Balor of Irish mythology, who ruled over
the evil <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians">Fomhóraigh</a></i>. The look
definitely has some similarities to Marvel’s Venom, but it’s still one of the
better pop culture appropriations in wrestling over recent years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This isn’t the first time the Demon version of Balor has
been released; originally there was a Chase of the regular figure which
depicted him in makeup but without the headdress. I’d prefer the Chase to be
the regular release, and this version with the headdress to be the Chase…but
hey, that’s Funko for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The body sculpt is the same as the regular Finn, and the
head appears to be a retool. It’s a surprisingly heavy piece as a result,
though it doesn’t have any issues with balance. My only real complaint is that
he looks a little too tall in comparison to most of his WWE POP! companions,
but that’s simply a limitation of the format. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, the facepaint doesn’t work quite as well in Funko
format as it does in real life, but the general effect is still conveyed.
Additionally, they haven’t given him his usual back paint, but I can imagine
this might have been a costing issue. It’d be covered up by the headdress
anyway, so it’s not a huge deal. It all adds up to a fun, if slightly imperfect
figure. In a line dominated by dudes with beards in tights, he definitely
stands out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like many white people in Australia, I’m of partial Irish
descent*. Accordingly, part of the reason I like Finn Balor** is because he
doesn’t play to traditional and offensive “Oirish” stereotypes. You might be
surprised to learn that there’s actually quite a bit more to Gaelic culture than
potatoes, four-leaf clovers, Riverdance, Guinness and leprechauns. The fact
that they haven’t forced him into a Lucky Charms outfit or similar is a shockingly
progressive approach from WWE, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44884853">an organisation which seems
to aggressively seek controversy around race and ethnicity</a>. Balor has
helped give Irish mythology a bigger place on the pop culture landscape, and
he’s a darn great in-ring performer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been quite a while since Finn has performed as The
Demon, which is a shame. At the moment WWE seem to be using him as mid-card eye
candy, rather than <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EecbgSHaIes">the guy who could
convincingly beat the h*ck out of Kenny Omega</a></span>. Still, with
Summerslam and a high profile Australian PPV on the way, you never know what we
could see in the near future. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*English, Scottish, Welsh and Finnish too. More Ancestry.com
results to come from the other side of the family soon, hopefully. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">**Same thing goes for Becky Lynch </span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-22528764957322416492018-06-23T20:41:00.001-07:002018-06-23T20:41:51.873-07:00LOST TUNNELS is out!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CPWhJ-sbyXVVNN3Yf6WPGUhA3_UkpjcH_sp5umenNA8ljnroH4aGXSysnrOM9OX1KfbUEyO3OPuRGAgjfu3-XuEbNJYVz_ofG9V3wAc3JadzB20SQGMvuPTwz5T_LseiiPLeibtGwQY/s1600/Lost+Tunnels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CPWhJ-sbyXVVNN3Yf6WPGUhA3_UkpjcH_sp5umenNA8ljnroH4aGXSysnrOM9OX1KfbUEyO3OPuRGAgjfu3-XuEbNJYVz_ofG9V3wAc3JadzB20SQGMvuPTwz5T_LseiiPLeibtGwQY/s200/Lost+Tunnels.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So as many of you know, I’ve been working on a horror
novella for quite some time now. Well, it’s now available on Kindle as an
e-book!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s right, after months and months of writing and editing,
Lost Tunnels has finally been unleashed on the public. If you like Lovecraft, Stephen
King or grindhouse horror, you should get a kick out of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can purchase it now on Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tunnels-Tom-G-Wolf-ebook/dp/B07DWC2M78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529810698&sr=8-1&keywords=tom+g+wolf">here</a>,
though if you’re outside the USA, you’ll need to visit the Amazon site relevant
for your own country. You can even read a preview, to get a taste of whether it's your thing or not. Hope you enjoy it – and if not, that you’ll let a friend
know who may enjoy it more!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-42683912514661996962018-06-16T23:35:00.000-07:002018-06-16T23:35:27.706-07:00Braun Strowman (WWE Elite Series 58) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9xf-drohUvjA4Dg_sKbFvmp9G2CxHz7XmVr20NgyQsYy2MZtODqsAMrf7HD-F-wFWGzcwqRGgCebNdfaQbsd1Hbm6FC-s75G7znHlZlPe1zFpvq4GMipSuag-8sdEWPrfPNIO2xTlVg/s1600/Squaring+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="960" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9xf-drohUvjA4Dg_sKbFvmp9G2CxHz7XmVr20NgyQsYy2MZtODqsAMrf7HD-F-wFWGzcwqRGgCebNdfaQbsd1Hbm6FC-s75G7znHlZlPe1zFpvq4GMipSuag-8sdEWPrfPNIO2xTlVg/s320/Squaring+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Ah, Mattel. You inspire such mixed feelings in toy fans.
You’ve done some great lines (like DC Universe Classics and Masters of the
Universe Classics) while also consistently refusing to listen to fans, making
questionable management decisions, skimping on accessories and generally
conflating “bare minimum” with “great work”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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But one thing Mattel <i>does</i> do well is wrestling figures.
Sure, not all of them are perfect – but they pump them out at a frighteningly fast rate, they consistently improve the quality and the pricepoint has been
maintained at a reasonable level. So today, we’ll take a look at their most
recent version of WWE’s terrifying heel Braun Strowman. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m pretty newly returned to wrestling, so I haven’t really seen
Strowman's ascent to stardom. But from a newcomer’s perspective, he’s pretty likeable
– and he’s getting a bit of a push at the moment, having recently won the
50-man Royal Rumble. Unlike <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Reigns">certain other wrestlers</a> we could name, he seems to
have both the charisma and in-ring skills to leverage it successfully. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5zqDttwCvsyNFmoQqbLjDm7KLskIQT8TQVkWX3xTKIm3jNRmDS5nfkIGsl7QgrKC1Vrr2vAPPP52zJHB-vOjhj04jTk3uvQSsjRW4XnoltdCZH3YxNPcKzZpa1KRO88XdQRMDmiFuxg/s1600/Braun+Strowman+vs+Predator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="960" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5zqDttwCvsyNFmoQqbLjDm7KLskIQT8TQVkWX3xTKIm3jNRmDS5nfkIGsl7QgrKC1Vrr2vAPPP52zJHB-vOjhj04jTk3uvQSsjRW4XnoltdCZH3YxNPcKzZpa1KRO88XdQRMDmiFuxg/s320/Braun+Strowman+vs+Predator.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Strowman has had a couple of Elite figures before – once in
Series 44, which depicted him in his Wyatt family garb, and another in Series
52 which came with a wheeled stretcher. Though all share some parts, this one
looks to be a virtual re-release of the Series 52 figure; the primary
difference at first glance is the head, though a closer examination reveals a
few different paint apps on the pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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The likeness in the sculpt is quite good, much better than
the (okay) paint would suggest. I’m sure there are already customisers out
there already working on better paint jobs, but I’m happy enough with what I
have. Normally I prefer more neutral faces on action figures, and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.ringsidecollectibles.com/wwe-series-74-toy-figures-bayley-mfa74-02.html">Mattel
certainly has a mixed record for delivering yelling faces</a></span>. But for
Strowman I’ll make an exception; he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>
a big unit who spends a lot of time yelling at his
opponents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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This makes for a fun figure, but he’s certainly not perfect. Though
his articulation is mostly pretty good, his shoulders appear to be on pegs,
rather than swivels. His arm movement is considerably more restricted than…well,
any other Elite figure I own. This is a problem, because unlike many of his
bigger WWE brethren, Strowman can actually wrestle, rather than simply
delivering big hits. Additionally, the beard means it’s all but impossible to
turn his head. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Paint is solid, especially on the tattoos. It’s a shame he
doesn’t have any stubble on the sides of his head, but at this price point I
think it’s a forgivable admission. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Accessory-wise, he comes with an ambulance door (not pictured), and a stand
with a stylised portrait of Strowman on it (also not pictured). The stand is handy, but I’m so-so
about the portrait that it comes with. Personally, I preferred the backstage
diorama look from previous series. What would be far better is interchangeable hands. I’m
sure I’m not the first person to express this sentiment, but it would really
take things to the next level. One open hand and one fist is okay, but it would
be good to be able to get a bit more variety -- especially considering the guy's catchphrase is literally "Get these hands". </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Braun Strowman is a solid figure that looks great on the
shelf, but the lack of shoulder articulation definitely hurts him. Also, given Strowman's inclusion in this week's Money in the Bank match and his overall popularity, it seems more than likely that we'll see more more Strowman merch in the near future. <o:p></o:p>Recommended for diehard fans, but not strictly necessary if you picked up the Series 52 version. </div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-49169791589245301202018-06-13T04:40:00.001-07:002018-06-13T04:40:22.240-07:00POP! WWE - The Iron Sheik <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6oENZsrznYsli2mOIsUDNbi_ozQbS4SuRI1vlC4DOhsJQxZWpBv36gxhimcRgmmBHc69GoFPLuww15zlmQoiG4l11ZgSrRG9fJ04sM4CAqUlD3zEkRs2aUKaEj5sp3JGy5ljzGATRbA/s1600/The+Iron+Sheik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="791" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6oENZsrznYsli2mOIsUDNbi_ozQbS4SuRI1vlC4DOhsJQxZWpBv36gxhimcRgmmBHc69GoFPLuww15zlmQoiG4l11ZgSrRG9fJ04sM4CAqUlD3zEkRs2aUKaEj5sp3JGy5ljzGATRbA/s320/The+Iron+Sheik.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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Pro wrestling has always been known for its larger-than-life
characters, but in the WWF’s golden era of the 80s and early 90s, they went
REALLY big. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior…and of course,
the subject of today’s review, the Iron Sheik. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri (or حسین خسرو علی وزیری in
his native Persian), the Iron Sheik was once a real Graeco-Roman wrestler, and
former soldier in the Imperial Iranian Army, who moved to America and burst
into the zany world of professional wrestling. Arriving in the then-WWF as the
Iron Sheik, he’d grow to become one of the best-known heels in the history of
wrestling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Iron Sheik’s gimmick was questionable, even by the looser
standards of the 1980s. Presented primarily as a sinister Middle Eastern heel
to Hulk Hogan’s All-American babyface, he’d show up in the ring holding banners
depicting the real-life monster Ayatollah Khomeini and denounce the American
way of life. It was pretty edgy at the time and generated a lot of heat in the
ring, but it seems pretty tasteless to modern eyes. Even more so when you look
at the way aspects of the Cold War were played out in the region, all while this
stuff was all airing… <o:p></o:p></div>
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There was plenty of drama in the ring, and it was far more
extreme outside. Drug addiction consumed much of Vaziri’s life from the 1980s,
and one of his daughters was murdered in 2003. In tandem with other events and
injuries, his career and earning potential were derailed numerous times. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Still, he’s enjoyed something of a comeback in more recent
years, establishing himself as something of a <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://twitter.com/the_ironsheik">NSFW Twitter sensation</a></span>. In
character as his wrestling persona, the Iron Sheik shoots off all manner of
profane insults at anyone and everyone, naturally reserving his worst bile for
Hulk Hogan. Naturally enough, this means that he’s the ideal character to be
rendered in the kid-friendly Funko POP style! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The POP looks fairly true to his peak attire; he’s wearing a
white <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">keffiyeh </i>and a pair of paisley
print trunks. His signature curled-toe wrestling boots have been sculpted, which
is a great detail. All in all, pretty good attention to detail. There’s a Chase
version which features a red keffiyeh, which is cool but non-essential. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, Iron Sheik doesn’t seem to be flying off the shelves at
the same speed as many of his WWE contemporaries. Granted, he doesn’t have the
same profile among younger fans as someone like The Undertaker, but it does
seem like a bit of a shame. Nonetheless, this does mean you should be able to
pick him up for a reasonable price. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Though there’s already been a “Hollywood” Hogan POP, there
isn’t currently an era-accurate figure of the Hulkster to face off against the
Iron Sheik. Given Hulk’s <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://screenrant.com/hulk-hogan-discusses-wwe-firing/">currently
dubious status</a></span> with the WWE, we’re unlikely to get one anytime soon.
Of course, with the recently released Jake the Snake, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> re-enact <span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://wwfoldschool.com/10-people-the-iron-sheik-hates/6/"><span style="font-style: normal;">one</span> <span style="font-style: normal;">particular
feud</span></a></i></span>…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkWRy1WWpwXx34SDLtHk5kUEqiEXs1wD37tvV4ODod6877ux4sBiQmSmXjBlagGutW0EHvSl4r4oBP7kgfoufH6WCxw8ebcuTyEuGLlq-1Ij6jzXbLQ33X76OMI8nRsS8azHXMKKu_Q8/s1600/The+Iron+Sheik+and+Jake+the+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="960" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkWRy1WWpwXx34SDLtHk5kUEqiEXs1wD37tvV4ODod6877ux4sBiQmSmXjBlagGutW0EHvSl4r4oBP7kgfoufH6WCxw8ebcuTyEuGLlq-1Ij6jzXbLQ33X76OMI8nRsS8azHXMKKu_Q8/s320/The+Iron+Sheik+and+Jake+the+Snake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Iron Sheik is an interesting piece of wrestling history,
marking a bygone era of WWF/WWE. While plenty of wrestlers are still big
personalities, the reduced emphasis on kayfabe and greater real-life awareness
of scandals in the industry has drastically changed the way the industry works.
For better <i>and</i> for worse, the squared
circle is unlikely to have anyone like the Iron Sheik step inside ever again. </div>
Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-36832789916762949032018-06-05T03:45:00.002-07:002018-06-05T03:45:50.295-07:00Lupine Film Club - Hereditary<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Contains major
spoilers – do not read if you want to go in unprepared. THIS IS YOUR FIRST AND ONLY WARNING. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br /><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLXWLX3PINpN2ZmvF79y2kej9e2qmmGkteIZkUU7Tm3X6S79x_kZC0YMrU7gcNpl8oWmYq8-ySfkLKy9vgAfQqhU_Kl3oazmrPDSuI4WxpnRvcyN8dUj2mVlgfmqA3c7bB2d277NHgE4/s1600/HEREDITARY_R09_56_FIN02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLXWLX3PINpN2ZmvF79y2kej9e2qmmGkteIZkUU7Tm3X6S79x_kZC0YMrU7gcNpl8oWmYq8-ySfkLKy9vgAfQqhU_Kl3oazmrPDSuI4WxpnRvcyN8dUj2mVlgfmqA3c7bB2d277NHgE4/s320/HEREDITARY_R09_56_FIN02.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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Well, it's been almost a year since the last instalment of the Lupine Film Club. Thank you all for your patience; </div>
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A friend sent me the trailer for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary</i> earlier this year, and I was immediately intrigued. When
you’ve been watching horror for as long as I have, you get pretty wise to the
tropes and clichés of the genre, and it’s easy to get a little jaded about the
whole thing. I mean, the yearly franchise stuff that gets churned out like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saw</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Conjuring</i> series is fun and all – but it’s nice to have
something with a little more style and substance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Based on that trailer, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary</i>
definitely looked the goods. Having now seen it, I certainly agree it has a lot
more style than your average franchise fare. The substance…well, I’m still not
totally certain yet. But it absolutely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i>
certainly throw my expectations for a loop.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Going in, I assumed that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary
</i>would be a pretty straightforward ghost story. The grandma dies, the little
girl is a conduit for her ghost (or at least something malign imitating it) and
all manner of weird stuff unfolds from there. Nothing particularly original,
but that’s okay. The successful execution of a well-worn formula can be very
satisfying in its own right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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But this isn’t quite how things play out. The film starts
off this way, complete with “is it real or not” visions of the deceased
grandmother – but not long afterwards, the little girl we’ve been assuming is
the villain is brutally killed in a car accident. Her ant-riddled head on the
roadside must surely be one of the most iconic (and disturbing) scenes in
horror cinema this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From here, the film movies into more of an extended
meditation on grief and dysfunctional family dynamics. This is arguably where
the film is at its strongest, as it wrestles with some uncomfortable questions
that none of us really like to address – what if we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aren’t</i> sad that a family member is dead? What if we don’t really
love our kids? How do you deal with survivor’s guilt? And how do you cope with
a family member who’s in the midst of a breakdown? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l6S0IUk3ssqRs9cfYnnUTvmz2bnQp7iDmkplRvCTCeYlQqPrQ92sr4q86fdG5JU9QxDjHshmoLF7ezVmLl-z7N6b_EsfybaJimwJ69o4K-LB1-70Zr2VkXfmgz9DyoOJPPLaS2Mu7xY/s1600/MV5BODcwMzI4MjU4MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjc4MzI2NTM%2540._V1_SX1334_CR0%252C0%252C1334%252C999_AL_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1334" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l6S0IUk3ssqRs9cfYnnUTvmz2bnQp7iDmkplRvCTCeYlQqPrQ92sr4q86fdG5JU9QxDjHshmoLF7ezVmLl-z7N6b_EsfybaJimwJ69o4K-LB1-70Zr2VkXfmgz9DyoOJPPLaS2Mu7xY/s320/MV5BODcwMzI4MjU4MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjc4MzI2NTM%2540._V1_SX1334_CR0%252C0%252C1334%252C999_AL_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Throughout all of this, the cast is solid but not especially sympathetic. Toni Collette easily acquits herself as the film’s primary likeable character. Gabriel Byrne is fine, but he doesn’t blow you away; anyone could
have played the role, really. Milly Shapiro is particularly disconcerting as
the introverted (and unlikeable) daughter. But the primary weak link is Alex
Wolff, who plays half his scenes well and the other half as though he was
portraying a 9-year old who’s afraid of the dark. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_juGpVfvyFRJjE6v35ULVNcBS1Iglx4XFFAqKkfawPVvYs0JmNOtnD1QB4DtbjqAIRxOgXTGYkxWpwOQWe76SETYtsCl4JHv0qj74Z3Cco7NK_Eh9q1Gxe9fFB7BAVj7UUSpQbxG2ug/s1600/MV5BMjExODE2ODk1M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTY4MzI2NTM%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1501" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_juGpVfvyFRJjE6v35ULVNcBS1Iglx4XFFAqKkfawPVvYs0JmNOtnD1QB4DtbjqAIRxOgXTGYkxWpwOQWe76SETYtsCl4JHv0qj74Z3Cco7NK_Eh9q1Gxe9fFB7BAVj7UUSpQbxG2ug/s320/MV5BMjExODE2ODk1M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTY4MzI2NTM%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a>After a séance, more overtly supernatural elements begin to emerge,
causing issues for all the surviving members of the family. New Age figures
like John Edwards and Alison DuBois tend to present the image that the dead are
happy to hear from us and have plenty of nice words to pass on. But what if the
dead were angry – justifiably angry, even – at the way they had been treated by
their family? <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s an interesting idea, but it ends up being another red
herring – for the ghost is no ghost at all. Rather, as we discover fairly late
in the piece, it’s a demon prince named Paimon, masquerading as deceased loved
ones. Now, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paimon">Paimon</a></span> is a name that
will likely be unfamiliar to you, unless you have an active interest in the
occult and demonology. Kudos to the filmmakers for going in a slightly
different direction for the supernatural foe, but it does create an issue with
the film’s ending that I’ll detail a little more below. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary </i>effectively
builds mood and tension throughout the piece, but it comes with some flaws.
It’s a shade over two hours long, and it absolutely feels longer. It also plays
pretty fast and loose with its own “rules” about the supernatural. Towards the
end, strange stuff seemingly happens solely for the sake of being weird and/or
violent. This is not a bad thing in principle, but I’m not quite sure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary </i>establishes its own dream
logic or surrealism effectively and early enough to allow for some of its own
conceits. Which brings us to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Suspiria
</i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wicker Man-</i>inspired twist
ending! <o:p></o:p></div>
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It's a bold departure from the rest of the film, and it’s sure
to polarise audiences. There are definitely clues peppered throughout as to the
true nature of Paimon (even hidden in the soundtrack) – but unless you’re
unusually conversant in Western Esotericism, you’re probably not going to spot
them. Sure, you can do the reading and be impressed at the level of detail
afterwards, but I don’t think this should be a prerequisite. Twists need to be
effectively telegraphed; audiences should be able to go “Aha!” when they eventuate,
drawing new significance from earlier elements in the film with this fresh knowledge
in mind. </div>
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<i>Hereditary </i>doesn’t exactly
cheat on this front, but I’d argue that it does play on the audience’s assumed
ignorance to force an extra level of bizarreness in the final scene. By contrast,<i> Skeleton
Key</i> and <i>The Wicker Man </i>played
similar moves much more effectively. The relevant lore and mythos was gradually
introduced throughout the respective pieces, and then twisted at the final
moment for an horrific reveal. Here, it feels a little more shoehorned in,
though I suspect some will argue that it’s a natural extension of the occult
themes that the film explores. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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These issues aside, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary</i>
is well worth your time and money. It’s creepy, unsettling, sticks with you
long after the credits have rolled and though it wears its influences on its
sleeve, it feels remarkably fresh. To cap things off, it has a fantastic
soundtrack too. Ultimately, I don’t know whether <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hereditary</i> will be the best horror movie of 2018, but I can almost
certainly guarantee it will be the most talked-about. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-51011575717997892102018-05-22T05:15:00.000-07:002018-05-22T05:15:02.827-07:00The Westall UFO (We Are The Mutants post)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Hr23Wdbh0SjcJQieo04JV3oOjyyau6zUkCEN_diEje4SvSRW94_xWYwhM4yeqmJi_OuS6R4xRnkuFPwUQvqZDv4EFMwPdhBh4NKeuNTNM8Ell0XD_KHCwXVEnNIkNF1AxwKs4fZ-xig/s1600/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Hr23Wdbh0SjcJQieo04JV3oOjyyau6zUkCEN_diEje4SvSRW94_xWYwhM4yeqmJi_OuS6R4xRnkuFPwUQvqZDv4EFMwPdhBh4NKeuNTNM8Ell0XD_KHCwXVEnNIkNF1AxwKs4fZ-xig/s320/hqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As regular readers will be aware, I write for other sites occasionally. You'll also know that I've written about UFOs and aliens from time to time, usually in the context of the Sunday Afternoon Reader articles.<br />
<br />
Well, those interests have finally combined in my first piece for <b>We Are The Mutants</b>!<b> </b>A relatively new online magazine, We Are the Mutants focuses on the history and analysis of Cold War-era popular and outsider culture, with a strong emphasis on speculative (sci-fi, fantasy, horror), genre, pulp, cult, occult, subculture, and anti-establishment media. In other words, it's right up my alley, and I think a lot of you will really enjoy it too. There's plenty to be found for nostalgia buffs and more serious historians alike. <br />
<br />
I've put together a piece about the 1966 Westall sighting, a famous Australian UFO incident. With a huge crowd of witnesses to the event and possible government conspiracy to cover the whole thing up, it's a fascinating insight into the Cold War paranoia of the time -- and you can read the full story <a href="https://wearethemutants.com/2018/05/21/talk-to-no-one-the-continuing-mystery-of-the-westall-ufo/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
This will hopefully be the first of several pieces from me for We Are The Mutants. As always, keep an eye on this page for updates, but you can also follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/lupinebookclub">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub/">Facebook</a> too. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-47591242498793963332018-05-20T01:14:00.000-07:002018-05-20T01:15:11.814-07:00Sunday Afternoon Reader, Part 8<br />
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Well, my local library had its annual clear-out sale this
weekend. I bought a bunch of things, but these are the ones that will probably
be of the most interest to you, dear reader. Let’s browse our way through the 8th
instalment of Sunday Afternoon Reader! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unscripted: World
Wrestling Entertainment<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Authors: Ken Leiker,
Mark Vancil<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Year: 2003 <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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WRESTLING! I’ve recently returned to wrestling fandom after many
years away, so this was a perfect find. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unscripted
</i>is a coffee table book, which ostensibly provides a bit of a
behind-the-scenes (though still heavily curated) look at some of your favourite
WWE Superstars. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“So what?” you ask. Well, in 2018 shoot interviews have been
done to death, and pretty much every WWE star has mouthed off on social media
at some point. But in 2003, this book would have been quite novel. Kayfabe was on
the decline, but glimpses into the inner workings of the company were still
rarer than today. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As with most coffee table books, the emphasis is on the
images rather than the content. The photography is mostly quite good…but it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>coupled with some exceptionally ugly
early noughties graphic design and typesetting. There are some interesting
tidbits shared within though – Matt Hardy and Lita at home together, Stone Cold
with his hunting rifle, Ric Flair calling Triple H “the best performer in the
business” (which exemplifies why I have never been a Flair or Triple H fan), Vince
discussing his childhood and Undertaker summing up his experience in the
industry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Some of it rings a more than a little sad now. Undertaker
has since divorced and remarried, Matt Hardy and Lita split over a decade ago
and a number of wrestlers featured are retired or dead. Most depressing of all
are the images of Chris Benoit, who was a big star for the company in 2003.
Just four years later he would commit the most horrific crimes an already
scandal-ridden industry had ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Still, this was an interesting read for me, as it was
published around the time I stopped paying attention to wrestling. I still
played the WWE Raw Deal card game with friends occasionally, but mostly I was
busy with the multi-layered commitments of senior high school. Wrestling
necessarily took a backseat…also, John Cena was getting a big push by then, and
I was entering some of my prime heavy metal years. White boy rappers were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> my thing at all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Creatures of the
Night: In Search of Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves and Demons<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Author:</b> Dr Gregory
Lee<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Year:</b> 2012 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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Huzzah! Another addition to the ever-expanding paranormal
shelf. I haven’t looked at this in great detail so far, so I can’t say much
about it yet. I’ll have to come back to it once I’ve had a more thorough look.
At any rate, Dr Gregory Lee has written a number of different books previously,
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gregory-L.-Reece/e/B001K8B0UK/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1">all
of them</a> looking at esoteric subject matter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Books on this kind of subject matter are becoming
increasingly hard to come by, at least in my usual haunts. The supernatural publishing
boom died off some years ago, and the older books from the 70s to the 90s
really just don’t show up in second-hand bookstores as readily anymore. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Indeed, once upon a time I might have even passed this one
over as it’s not expressly about UFOs or aliens. But times are tough, and you
take what you can get – especially for only two bucks. Also, the cover is
designed to look like an old issue of EC’s horror comics, which is a nice touch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHSiol4DCqodHjWG5lWl6Thjsg5KWYvFUW1Zr74HI6RA2vDrK0MTGglqo-O41ZhCWCPQskKokQbmY8dOLw-c6FgxEToK6UE8JWkDs3qYGicd39MiBNjWjhNTtHsgZ19LdAzDebCMKzPE/s1600/Wrestlemania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="492" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHSiol4DCqodHjWG5lWl6Thjsg5KWYvFUW1Zr74HI6RA2vDrK0MTGglqo-O41ZhCWCPQskKokQbmY8dOLw-c6FgxEToK6UE8JWkDs3qYGicd39MiBNjWjhNTtHsgZ19LdAzDebCMKzPE/s200/Wrestlemania.jpg" width="196" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WWF WrestleMania: The
Official Insider's Story<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Authors: Basil V.
Devito with Joe Layden <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Year: 2001<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Another wrestling book! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This time, we get an overview of the history of
Wrestlemania, up to the year 2000. I’ve only skimmed it so far, but it seems
fairly comprehensive and has some great photos from the mid-1980s onwards.
Liberace once appeared a Wrestlemania? Amazing! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Importantly, you can really see the evolution of the company
from cartoonish fun into the Attitude Era. The Attitude Era was still in full
swing when this was published, and everything was ADULT and EDGY. Costumes get
darker, matches get bloodier, stunts get wilder and the fanbase changes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Your feelings about this transition will vary. The Attitude
Era is apparently held in very high esteem these days, but I didn’t actually
enjoy it much as a teen. Sure, it gave us some good characters and matches –
but I don’t think it was inherently superior to what’s available today. I was
never a big fan of The Rock, Stone Cold or Triple H (though I’ve come to
appreciate them all to varying degrees) and the manufactured “edge” seemed
contrived even to a wannabe goth kid like myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Similarly to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unscripted</i>,
some of it makes for pretty sad reading these days. Given that it’s been more
than 30 years since the first Wrestlemania, it’s inevitable that some of the
faces you see are no longer with us…but it’s depressing to realise how young
some of them went. Rowdy Roddy Piper, Miss Elizabeth, Macho Man Randy Savage,
the Ultimate Warrior, Chyna…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As someone once noted – maybe Matt from Dinosaur Dracula? –
wrestling books are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> a product
of the time they were written. WWE plays pretty fast and loose with the kayfabe
canon, but they’re just as happy to do it with their actual history. If you
happen to be on their shitlist at time of writing, you’ll be written off as
irrelevant, made to look terrible or simply excluded altogether. Given the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_Hogan#Scandal_and_departure">controversy
surrounding Hulk Hogan since 2015</a> – and the necessity of talking about him
a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lot </i>in the context of early Wrestlemanias
– WWE will probably want to save another instalment for the more distant
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Ultimate
Metallica<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Author:</b> Ross
Halfin<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Year:</b> 2010 <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As I’ve noted <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/sunday-afternoon-reader-part-7.html">elsewhere</a>,
I fall into the classic metal cliché of loving Metallica’s first four albums
and not wanting much to do with anything after that. In 2018, belonging to
their fandom can be slightly embarrassing, as many of their fans <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> seem to think they’re the final
word in metal and this is in no way true. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I don’t say this to try and be trve or kvlt; I have a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Master of Puppets</i> poster flag on the
wall of my office, I own a bunch of t-shirts and I even bought the <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/pop-rocks-james-hetfield-metallica.html">Hetfield
Funko POP</a> a while ago. I was lucky enough to see them live in 2004 during a
lightning storm, which was incredible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But do I care to hear new music from them? Probably not. Still,
for $5 I felt I couldn’t pass up this lavish hardback book, which no doubt cost
at least 10 times that on initial publication. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ross Halfin has been photographing Metallica on and off
since the 1980s, so you can trace a course from their young and hungry days through
to around 2010. How you feel about Metallica now will pretty much sum up how
you feel about that, but either way there is some genuinely nice rock photography.
Halfin is a talented guy, and it would be interesting to see some more of his
work with other bands. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Interspersed among the photos there’s some notes from admirers
and some thoughts from Halfin himself. But the real highlight was the obscenity-laden
email on the very last page, which rips into Ross for a variety of perceived
sins, including insulting “ROBB FLYNN of the TRULY LEGENDARY MACHINE HEAD” and
being “the EXTREME epitome of POMPOUS BRITISH WANKERY”. This, dear reader, made
it worth the price of admission alone. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-44955362587647965522018-05-09T18:40:00.000-07:002018-05-09T18:40:23.458-07:00POP! Rocks – Alice Cooper (Top Hat) <br />
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Though not the first shock rocker (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins,
the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Screaming Lord Sutch all predate him),
Alice Cooper has still become one of the most iconic rock frontmen in pop
culture. Acts like KISS, King Diamond, Rob Zombie and Ghost – to name just a
few – all owe Cooper a considerable visual debt. And though I’m more of a
“Greatest Hits” kind of fan, he’s been an inspiration to me, too – if a skinny
kid with a big nose can become a heavy metal icon, there’s hope for all of
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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Naturally enough, Funko was going to come calling at some point
and turn him into a POP. Today, we take a look at the results! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, I couldn’t find a specific photo where Alice is wearing
this exact outfit. The corset/harness thing and ripped pants look like they’re
from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Billion Dollar Babies </i>era –
which would fit with the snakeskin theme on the box – and the earliest pics I
noticed of him with a white top hat and tails seem to be from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome to My Nightmare </i>album – so let’s
just say it’s meant to be him sometime in the mid-70s. If you can identify the
outfit more specifically, let me know in the comments below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Either way, a lot of Alice Cooper’s stage costumes are
variations on these themes, and even those with only a passing familiarity of
the man will recognise him easily. The only real surprise is that he isn’t
depicted with a snake, considering that’s one of the things he’s best known
for. Still, that may come in the future; though his basic look has remained the
same for decades, there’s still been plenty of variations that would lend
themselves to POP figures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVfMJbHqn-cGTu0YrByzWCjV_4pZ_oGfWREmbSULlccIorps5vVGMUx6I3NeKMBUpSwJup2nzSM7GyYmqA8wer-J-_GjJSKW69h3RlvG9PDiy1eRE_PgoMgCSLnHNJLyERlmTNTTtB4Y/s1600/Jake+the+Snake+and+Alice+Cooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="960" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVfMJbHqn-cGTu0YrByzWCjV_4pZ_oGfWREmbSULlccIorps5vVGMUx6I3NeKMBUpSwJup2nzSM7GyYmqA8wer-J-_GjJSKW69h3RlvG9PDiy1eRE_PgoMgCSLnHNJLyERlmTNTTtB4Y/s320/Jake+the+Snake+and+Alice+Cooper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As usual, the paint could be a little tighter, but it’s fine
for the most part. Additionally, check his cane before making a purchase, to
make sure it hasn’t warped in the box. </div>
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The sculpt makes him a little skinnier than your average
POP, and he doesn’t come with a stand. Fair enough; Alice Cooper isn’t a
particularly big guy. But given his very top-heavy construction, it creates some balance problems, and I have some
concerns about his long-term ability to stay upright. Skinnier POPs like <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/pop-television-elvira-mummy.html">Elvira</a>
and <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/pop-heroes-nycc-2016-exclusive-classic.html">Batgirl</a>
have a tendency to warp around their legs and feet over time; while he’s not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that </i>petite, I could see something similar happening further down
the track. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These issues aside, I think it’s a solid piece. There’s also a
straitjacket version available, which is a Hot Topic exclusive in the USA.
Either one is well-representative of the character, and a fun addition to the
shelf. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-57967163258206039482018-05-07T18:59:00.000-07:002018-05-07T22:17:17.842-07:00Novella Update 4: Writer’s Block and Death Metal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGTeSTnxsYmU0tWqf9lGjIAw39jJ0KvB-4ex5wVx6wP5fLAfVYpOoCbkFBosRKvsyaz_szzKXXhWGVRP4f35OMGNh58mdpCNBfUn6QsneMqE550gvY3vu_0La4n3jpIagM5IXh5SZgMs/s1600/31957501_2119350498278344_2859022728080392192_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="960" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGTeSTnxsYmU0tWqf9lGjIAw39jJ0KvB-4ex5wVx6wP5fLAfVYpOoCbkFBosRKvsyaz_szzKXXhWGVRP4f35OMGNh58mdpCNBfUn6QsneMqE550gvY3vu_0La4n3jpIagM5IXh5SZgMs/s320/31957501_2119350498278344_2859022728080392192_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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If you’re following me over at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub/">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/LupineBookClub/status/992991092583747585">Twitter</a>, you would have seen in the last few days that I just finished a major edit of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i>. Now I plan to go through it manually – which essentially means I’ve printed it off and will be working through it with a literal red pen, trying to spot any previously unseen typos or grammar issues. <o:p></o:p><br />
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This will hopefully be the final round of edits, though having spent plenty of time working in print media I know it’s entirely possible that weird inconsistencies can creep through even at this stage. Nonetheless, things are still on track for a late June release! As always, keep your eye on Facebook or Twitter for updates. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Today, I also wanted to talk about <b>Writer’s Block</b>. As someone who’s spent many years working as a professional writer, I am not a big believer in writer’s block as it’s depicted in popular media. Writer’s block is typically shown to be a torment of some creative type who just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t get their words onto the page</i>. There’s some “terrible” blockage which preventing them from expressing their GENIUS to its fullest. This tends to manifest as an excuse for stuffing and acting like a huge jerk in pursuit of rediscovering their creativity – and doing pretty much anything but writing in the process. If you move in any sort of creative circles, you may have even met a few people like this in real life, and they are almost always a huge chore. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Sure, I’ll happily admit that some days of writing are easier than others. On the creative front I’ve had days where I stare at a blank page and can barely get anything down. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels</i> is a relatively short novella, but it’s been an incredibly difficult process working through it. In the workplace, though…well, that’s a different thing. When you’re working in magazines, try telling your boss that you didn’t turn in a piece of copy before deadline because you had “writer’s block”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Writing is a learned skill, just like anything else. It comes more easily to some than others, but this is true of just about anything – IT, fixing cars, painting, fishing, whatever. Do it enough and you develop a toolbox (as Stephen King calls it) of techniques that you can draw on to fake it to you make it. Turns out if you sit there and try to write, rather than just talking about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wanting</i> to write, you’ll get more done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Writing requires discipline, and that’s quite distinct from how people tend to imagine the “creative process”. I was talking about this with a musician friend last week over a few beers and was quite explicit in saying that for me the process is to sit my ass down, work at what I need to work at and eventually the “Muse” will show up. It gets easier with time, and you develop a skillset you can draw on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty much any established writer will tell you something similar. <o:p></o:p></div>
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People who romanticise the “creative process” and cannot do their “thing” except under very specific (i.e. anally retentive) conditions are not going to get very far with any of their creative goals. There will always be an excuse to not do it, and hard work is virtually excluded by definition. I know I have my preferences about how, where and when I like to write…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2JoiUGpacf97LONOdxygC5RRqCxw24pZdlBILIpBJGQH3vYGkDuHtazH7-BiUsak2uDaggJ4_uGBgOUe7lTHkFrRWcZY07qH7Ao0VulH6mWdNAEzXdGzzhQMtpa8O691ePaCLc1vGpA/s1600/31959362_10156122420861147_4259695637290811392_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1440" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2JoiUGpacf97LONOdxygC5RRqCxw24pZdlBILIpBJGQH3vYGkDuHtazH7-BiUsak2uDaggJ4_uGBgOUe7lTHkFrRWcZY07qH7Ao0VulH6mWdNAEzXdGzzhQMtpa8O691ePaCLc1vGpA/s320/31959362_10156122420861147_4259695637290811392_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>But to be honest, you can do it just about anywhere if you practice. The modern open-plan workplace is not a place sensitive to my personal “creative process”, but…well, I don’t see the Western Capitalist working system suddenly shifting to accommodate my particular wants anytime soon. I just need to get on with the job at hand. </div>
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But enough venting. Over the next few weeks, I hope to talk a bit more about practical techniques for freeing up your creativity and preventing your own brand of writer’s block. Today, let’s talk about music. I find listening to music extremely helpful in freeing up my creativity. This is not revolutionary advice; many authors talk about it, and author/ghostwriter Roz Morris runs a column speaking to different authors about the music they use <a href="https://mymemoriesofafuturelife.com/">here</a>.</div>
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Now, heavy metal is my first and foremost musical love, but it’s not always the best tool for the job. Unless I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very </i>familiar with the album in question, it can take me out of what I’m doing and serve as a distraction. Instead, I like to find something appropriate for the genre I’m working on, e.g.:</div>
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<li>If I’m writing something fantasy-related, I might listen to something like the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack, or perhaps Mortiis’ early work. </li>
<li>For sci-fi, I might crack out Tangerine Dream, Jean-Michel Jarre or some more modern synthwave.</li>
<li>When I’m doing on a copywriting gig, I tend to throw on some kind of 80s pop mix. All of this helps me get into the right mood and headspace for writing in that particular world. </li>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Tunnels </i>is a horror novella, and it traverses a few different moods during the course of the story. Accordingly, I went through listening to different stuff during different phases of writing. Initially, I spent a ton of time listening to Fabio Frizzi’s film scores – specifically his soundtracks for Lucio Fulci’s <i>Zombie Flesh Eaters </i>and <i>The Beyond</i>. They’re two of my favourite horror films, so they seemed like good places to start.</div>
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But as writing went on, things began to vary a bit more; I listened to a lot of Amebix’s second album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://amebix1.bandcamp.com/">Monolith</a></i>. The came Blood Incantation, particularly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/starspawn">Starspawn</a> – </i>this where the death metal of the article title kicks in! There was also a bunch of Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham solo work thrown into the mix, depending on the particular scene I was working on. One band to emerge to the forefront was Popol Vuh; probably best-known for their soundtrack work with Werner Herzog, they’re often thought of as an ambient group, but they really span a much broader range. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Some of these seem like more relevant influences than others – I mean, there’s nothing particularly terrifying about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF6xU70O73c">“Big Love”</a> – but everything I listened to helped me get into the particular mindset I needed for a scene. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t expect you to get the same stuff out of any of these bands that I did, but I would suggest that you try listening to music while you’re writing if you haven’t already. And if you are, maybe try listening to something new as well – see how it affects your mood, and accordingly your writing. Tell me how you go in the comments below! <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-36984624781108131822018-05-01T16:29:00.002-07:002018-05-01T16:29:47.390-07:00New article at Astral Noize<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0KZtbc4nRNL12O-kwP6IGeLIalsChsDBL9BFAm3_b44u_P1lLvVqN26CCPjYC-WZmpX-C1JziWx3wjlpiVzONqJNZd6CLn6Ph4E8nctcaRzIIav3WliNYaJAIYTJwuK9Iezudrag8D8/s1600/Nile_catacombs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0KZtbc4nRNL12O-kwP6IGeLIalsChsDBL9BFAm3_b44u_P1lLvVqN26CCPjYC-WZmpX-C1JziWx3wjlpiVzONqJNZd6CLn6Ph4E8nctcaRzIIav3WliNYaJAIYTJwuK9Iezudrag8D8/s1600/Nile_catacombs.jpg" /></a>As a lot of regular readers know, I'm a big metal fan. And one of my favourite bands is Nile -- the Egypt-obsessed guys from South Carolina. Their first album <i>Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka</i> has just turned twenty, so I've contributed a piece to <a href="https://astralnoizeuk.com/">Astral Noize</a> about its legacy. </div>
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You can read the full article <a href="https://astralnoizeuk.com/2018/04/30/retrospective-nile-amongst-the-catacombs-of-nephren-ka/">here</a> -- hope you enjoy it! </div>
Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3482782831850493235.post-13386306118210983232018-04-22T04:28:00.000-07:002018-04-22T04:28:25.505-07:00POP! Marvel: Thanos (Infinity War) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1ZjG52hnjzrNvUeJi7aXZjEB8zrQo8qzfCC9pAa_fXqoo1OYag8FHL3CuQQZqmOIJ41rodcem1BGiahCrkP4LleDB9bxuwhs3-Xk5Y769cPgX55BolaTjD6lFDWePmrU5smRkeeHg5U/s1600/Thanos+Funko+POP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1ZjG52hnjzrNvUeJi7aXZjEB8zrQo8qzfCC9pAa_fXqoo1OYag8FHL3CuQQZqmOIJ41rodcem1BGiahCrkP4LleDB9bxuwhs3-Xk5Y769cPgX55BolaTjD6lFDWePmrU5smRkeeHg5U/s320/Thanos+Funko+POP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Well, in just a few more days <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Infinity War </i>will finally be upon us. This is the big event
that the MCU has been building to over the last 10 years, ever since the
release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iron Man </i>in 2008. Stuff is
going to go the h*ck down.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Or will it? The MCU has been surprisingly conservative when
it comes to stuff like character deaths, and after almost twenty films the overall
feel is akin to a soap opera – big events happen, but their overall consequences
feel minimal. Still, I’ve enjoyed the ride and I’m sure it will be another solid
entry into the franchise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Naturally the merchandise train has long since left the station
and crashed into your local toy store – which brings us to today’s review, Thanos!
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, I gave up on collecting MCU POPs some time ago, because
I didn’t feel the desire to update a bunch of core characters every time a new
film came out. Still, I like Thanos as a character and I felt this POP had a
look heavily distinct from <a href="http://lupinebookclub.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/thanos-pop-marvel.html">the POP he got back in 2015</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s a pretty decent figure; I liked the helmeted,
ceremonial look of Thanos back in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guardians
of the Galaxy</i>, but this is a fresh take. This time he’s also wearing the Infinity
Gauntlet itself, with all of the Infinity Gems in place. Paint is pretty solid,
and while it’s not as big as the previous POP I think it’s a lot more effective
at conveying personality. There’s no chase, but there is a chrome version which
appears to be some kind of convention exclusive. Personally, I’d like a glow version, but only time will tell whether we get one.</div>
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Super fans can also opt for the 10'' version, which is the same sculpt but substantially larger. Additionally, there's a new 6'' POP with Thanos sitting on his throne on its way too. Last but not least, there's a Wal-Mart*
exclusive, which uses the same base body but has a different head and left arm.
He’s also got some kind of glittery energy field emerging from the glove. I
like the new face and the overall concept, but it doesn’t quite do it for me.</div>
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Y’know, it wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t actually see
very much of Thanos in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Infinity
War</i>. Yeah, he’s got a bunch of toys on the shelves – but the Infinity
Stones haven’t been assembled yet and there’s still another <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers</i> film to come in 2019. Not to
mention that the merchandising suggests there are going to be a bunch of new
characters introduced into a film that’s already pretty stuffed with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">existing </i>characters. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Nonetheless, Thanos has taken a huge leap in popularity in
recent years, thanks to his inclusion in the MCU. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Infinity War </i>is likely to boost that popularity even further, and I
suspect this POP will be a strong seller. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">*JB Hi-Fi exclusive in
Australia – presumably New Zealand too <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />Tom G. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01893687622062381451noreply@blogger.com0