Table of ContentsRKYV # 55 {spring 2013}

RKYV ONLINE LOGODavid Marshall {current}r. j. paré {modified}Roy G. James {original}

Virtual Covers # 55- Design/Layouts by David Marshall &r. j. paré

Interior Art- by r. j. paré, Kevin Curtis Barr,Stephen Gibb, Josh Bowe, MikeGrattan, James ‘Jig-One’ Titman, MatiasBasla, Aman Arora, Beverly Bailey,Daniel HDR, Corinne Vuillemin

Editorial Column- “At the Outset: A Few Thoughts fromthe Editor”- by r. j. paré

World View- “Modern Conservatism:The intersection of LibertarianSelfishness and Fundamentalist Bigotry.”- by r.j. paré,

On Writing- “Walk This World”- by Mick Edwards

Featured Artist Review- Odd Man- by r. j. paré

Indie Comic- “Spider-Man #300 Retold” a FCBDhomage.- by Bobby Foster, Jason Dougherty,Amanda Miller.- “Justice League of Hanna Barbera”- by Daniel HDR

Short Fiction- “Chopper”- by Richard Evans

Poetry- by Wanda VanHoy Smith, FrancesNichols Vargas, r. j. paré

Pop Culture- “Stop The Madness!”- by Darke Raven

- “IMO”- by r. j. paré

- “Raised on Saturday MorningCartoons”- by Pauline Paré

by Mike Grattan

At the Outset_______________________________________________________________________________RKYV ONLINE _ Printed as PDF | Spring 2013 | rkyv.online@rogers.com _ آ

A few thoughts fromThe Editor…

by r. j. paré

Some of you might be wondering where I’ve been. Ok, not really, you’ve been wondering whereRKYV has been – I’m just the putz that facilitates its delivery into your sweaty, pop-culture inhaling,art-lit craving, hands. I’m cool with that and guess what? I’ve missed each and every one of you, eventhe annoying ones who insist on hurling pebbles at my window during the night, just so I’ll look outand see them with wearing their vintage pea coat and holding a goofy retro ghetto-blaster over theirheads in an effort to drag me out of my doldrums.

All right already, no need to go full John Cusack on me – I’ll come back.

All joking aside it has been a very difficult stretch for our family these last couple years [downsizingleading to loss of jobs, depression and foreclosure on our home]. But how does that old line go?

Many thanks go out to our friends, and family, who have helped us through this period. This issue,and those to come, are dedicated to those who stuck with us through thick and thin.

Welcome back,Your dreams were your ticket out.

Welcome back,To that same old place that you laughed about.

Welcome Back Kotter – John Sebastian

When you can't run, you crawl, and when you can't crawl - whenyou can't do that...

You find someone to carry you.

Joss Whedon

It is my pleasure to present this issue’s featured artist Odd Man,the talented & witty host of his own internet radio program –Mad World Radio. If you have not listened to MWRyet, stop what you are doing and do so right now! It’s ok, we’llwait…

There, see what you’ve been missing?

Returning with us in this latest edition, we have our thoughtful & satirical columnists, Darke Ravenand Pauline Paré and some new poetic verse from Wanda VanHoy Smith, Frances Nichols Vargas& yours truly – r. j. paré – for you to [hopefully] enjoy.

Richard Evans has also penned a compelling short fiction piece “Chopper”, as part of his “WhiteZombie Stories” – which we’ll be serializing over the course of the next few issues. Serious kudos mustbe accorded, as well, to the talented artists [credited throughout this edition] who continue to sharetheir amazing work with us. Their contributions are the starting point for every edition of RKYV’sdesign aesthetic!

For more RKYV entertainment than we can fit into a PDF, look no further... LOL. We have got somefun and engaging sites set up for you by the ever-intrepid RKYV staff.

RKYV twitter feed– text us with your feedback!

http://twitter.com/#!/RKYVOnline

Darke Raven’s RKYV Blog & Pod Casts– vote for your favourite segments!

http://rkyvrevue.blogspot.com/

Official RKYV Blog– send us your comments, questions & suggestions!

http://rkyv.blogspot.com/

RKYV Editorial Video Blog– watch me act the fool and hype the Zine!

http://www.youtube.com/user/RKYVONLINE

RKYV ONLINE Facebook Group– post submissions and chat with contributors!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2399067108

Jess B&W 10 – by Josh Bowe

World View_____________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 World View

Modern Conservatism :The intersection of

Libertarian Selfishness andFundamentalist Bigotry.by r. j. paré

I've never understood the mind-set of those who advocate the "AynRand" world view. Do they really want to live in that dystopia? Whyshould a mediocre sci-fi novelist be elevated as philosophical voice thefar right?

{Answer: they'd make more money and could care less how many lives itwould cost}

Ayn Rand subscribes to the extreme libertarian/capitalist doctrine ofSocial Darwinism - which is so utterly callous as to, honestly, not beworth arguing in a developed nation.

No, the problem with Crony Capitalism is that you eventually run outof other people's money. Socialism takes from the wealthy - CronyCapitalism takes from everyone else...

Rather, Crony Capitalism is the philosophy of greed, the creed of arrogance and the gospel of theselfish. Its inherent flaw is blindness towards the misery of others.

"The problem with socialism is that you eventuallyrun out of other people's money."

- Margaret Thatcher

"Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Itsinherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

Poor people, starving people, sick people - should NOT have to wait on the charitable whim of awealthy, fortunate person - in order to survive. We had that once upon a time - it was calledFeudalism - and it is what wealthy people are truly advocating when they preach Libertarian dogma.They dream of a time when everything from roads to literacy will only be available to the privilegedfew who have the wealth to afford them. Their ideal land is one in which no law, save that which canbe enforced by private security, would exist.

But neither extreme is ideal and there already exists a better socioeconomic model.

Social Capitalism [as practiced in Social Democracies] has been a brilliant and effective

compromise that, many, developed nations have chosen. The social welfare of the masses is lookedafter with universal access to health care and education - while private enterprise/entrepreneurship andthe free market are still encouraged and in fact still thrive.

Most countries, post WWII, thathave adopted such systems, have alsoconsistently demonstrated a higherquality of life than those that havenot. In fact, the top 5 happiest placesto live, according to 24/7 WallStreet’s analysis of the OECD BetterLife Index, are all social democracies:

1. Denmark2. Canada3. Norway4. Australia5. The Netherlands

I will tell you what is "unfair" – it’s that the game is rigged. Not between the poor and the middleclass... or even the moderately wealthy. No the game is rigged between the 1% and everyone else. Thatbeing said - I've never understood how anyone can say, with a straight face, "I'm a self-made such &such..." LOL Sorry, as much as one owes their success to hard work, dedication and talent - they alsoowe it to environment, opportunity and support.

“24/7 Wall St. analyzed the new Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development Better Life Index to objectivelydetermine the happiest countries in the world. The Index isbased on 11 measurements of quality of life including housing,income, jobs, community, education, the environment, health,work-life balance, and life satisfaction.”

“The happiest countries seem to be places where there is a goodbalance of work and leisure time. Not all nations can afford tokeep unemployment low through government subsidies. Not allcountries can afford to provide universal medical coverage. Notall countries can afford to educate almost all of their children,which in turn supports extremely high literacy rates and buildsa population of skilled workers.”

- Michael B. Sauter, Charles B. Stockdale, Douglas A. McIntyre

“Don’t tread on me!” hollers the Tea Party as they describe everything from environmental laws,business regulations and taxes spent on social programs – as inherently “unfair” because why should“they” have to pay for all the “lazy moochers”? They’re oblivious to the fact they have benefited asmuch from living in this society as everyone else.

Unless one can claim they lived their entire lives on a desertedisland, where they foraged for food and learned all they knowby observation – they aren’t entirely “self-made”. We all knowdarned well that the more advantages one has, early in life, themore successful they will be.

These advantages may consist of many things, from wealthand connections to just being born in a land where a qualitypublic education is guaranteed and being fortunate enoughnot to have too many obstacles hurled in your path along theway [abusive parents, crime ridden neighbourhood, disabilityetc]. While the possibility always exists that some few will stillbe successful, despite numerous disadvantages, when one looksat the population as a whole, it is plainly obvious that moreadvantages increases one’s chances of being a success in life.That is why those of us on the left despise crony capitalism.

The myth of the rugged individualist- by r.j. paré

I see that sort of deflection, all the time, used to hide real motives. When young Trayvon was killed,for example, the first thing a bunch of conservatives did was comment: "how come liberals aren'tprotesting the fact that a white guy died last week?" or "how come the media don't care that some black guysrobbed a store in my neighbourhood?" yada yada yada... In reality what they are saying is: "THEY aren'tlike US, so please don't CARE if any of THEM die." It is the mantra of ethnic hate.

Now, if you point this out, be prepared, the right-wing has a ready-made retort: “Therewasn’t anything factually wrong with those statements, was there? Calling us racist just showsyour own intolerance of other points of view!” That’s right, apparently, pointing out bigotry,in their warped and fevered minds, should be considered bigotry in its own right.

As to the former, yes there’s something factually wrong about such statements. Firstly, it’s an absurdgeneralization claiming that "liberals", as some sort of homogeneous group, are guilty of someprejudice in regards “not caring” about crimes against white people. Secondly it is designed to steer adebate on morality & justice - into one of racial prejudice – specifically, claiming there exists adisproportionate concern when African Americans are killed than liberals show when Caucasians arekilled.

Ya… but if someone kills a white person, liberals think theyneed "help and understanding." But if they kill a blackperson, then liberals think they should be strung up in themiddle of the town. - angry conservative ranting online

Which brings us to the latter claim, that exposing intolerance and hate constitutes intolerance itself:this is a common rhetorical ploy, used extensively in white supremacist forums like Stormfront.

To be honest, speaking as a liberal myself, I could care less what colour a person's skin is when atragedy occurs. This is how the far right tries to divide the public though. They will twist meaning andendlessly segue into separate “complaints” in the hopes of using fear and ignorance to build a broadenough base to empower their regressive agenda.

Either you believe a Just Society is one in which we care and safeguard the less fortunate amongst us oryou do not. Either you believe that Health and Education are fundamental human rights or you donot. Either you want to live in a country where vast income disparity leads to crime and violence oryou do not. These are our choices. I choose to live in a land where we all pursue prosperity together -rather than wilfully leave so many behind.

Peace out.

by Mike Grattan

Interview_______________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 Featured Artist Review

Odd Man &Mad World Radio

by r.j. paré

About Odd

In his own words: Family man, Host, Friend,Sexual Tyrannosaurus, Minister, Nose Picker, NameCaller, Creative Genius and Lovable Goof. These arewords that describe me. Notice that "Liar" isn't oneof them. There's a reason for that.

I am what I am. I am a father and a husband. I run an internet radio show called Mad World Radio. Ihave been called many names by people who just couldn't handle the fact that I am an honest man. Ido, however, find joy in watching the naysayers spin their wheels though. It's funny to do nothing andwatch people get pissed off about it to the extent that it consumes them. I also enjoy making peoplelaugh and spreading my own brand of insanity.

Like every other person I want to make my mark on the world, but unlike most I am actually workingtowards trying to spread thought and idea in to an otherwise dying stream of consciousness. Plus Ithrow in a dick and fart joke every now and again.

r.j.p: For the uninitiated, what is a podcast?

A podcast is a radio styled show that is pre-recorded and posted for consumption by themasses at their leisure. What I do, isn't exactly a podcast since we broadcast live. We dopost the shows for later consumption, but the initial episode is always done live.

r.j.p: What is "Mad World Radio"?

What isn't it? This show has grown and changed a lot over the 5 years I have been doing it.It's equal parts awesome and insanity. We cover a lot of stuff on MWR, we're fans of livemusic so we try to get that going as much as possible on the show. It's basically my brain ina digital audio format.

I had to find my groove, as I said it's changed a lot since April 1st 2007. The site itself hasalso morphed quite a bit. Its current incarnation is both the home for the radio broadcastand a blog for random posts and such. We are really trying to build a little community there.

It's like pulling teeth getting folks to comment and interact so if you check out the site, please leavecomments and tell me what you're thinking. I even allow submissions and plan on starting some videoprojects that will require reader/listener participation.

Bob Smethers & Odd Man

r.j.p: How did you become involved with the Phonetic Bells Network?

Well back in March of 2007 I was asked by the original owners if I wanted my ownshow. I had been commenting on their blog posts/show topics for a few months andthey ended up liking what I had to say and saw a great response from my comments.Fast forward to today and I am now the owner, the original guy couldn't keep doing it AND try toeek out his living. So he handed over the reigns to me. I then revamped EVERYTHING and startedbringing on new DJ's with the attempt to grow into a full fledged radio network. Sadly, some of theDJ's and I didn't see eye to eye and we parted ways. Then the network server stream imploded on meand as a network I went on a year hiatus to regroup. We are now back and better than ever. Currentlylooking for new shows and DJs that want to be a part of what we do.

r.j.p: Did you study broadcasting or journalism in school?

No, I wanted to. I had designs on going to Specs Howard here in Detroit when I got outof High School. Life got in the way as it often does with dreams. Thankfully I was given asecond chance to do what I wanted to, without all the hoops. As for journalism, I havealways been opinionated and rather well written/spoken so it was a natural fit. My

approach to life wouldn't fit into traditional journalism; I am straight forward and often a bit abrasivewith my honesty. Plus my opinions can't be bought.

r.j.p: Can you tell us a little about producing MadWorld Radio - who is on the team and what doeseach person bring to this creative production?

I use to say this this was a one [person] production,but that just isn't the case. I have en extensivenetwork of contacts that I tap for various differenttasks. For the most part it is me doing the bulk of theheavier lifting. My wife handles the Bookings andSales, she also is responsible for interfacing with thebands when they contact us regarding airplay.

Not to mention I have her cohost the shows with me. Then there are my amazingfriends who have all put sometime in behind the mic, one in particular is usually alwayswith us for our Sunday night broadcasts. I bounce ideas off several people usually too;it's awesome having that kind of creative network to act as a buffer to pitch through.Often I'll have friends come in and do v/o (voice over) work for commercials too. Oh, I almost forgot,and yes I know that I shouldn't have, my mother is a big supporter of what I do, she is rather craftyand helps out when I get a weird apparel idea. We screen our own t-shirts and we also have this coolproduct called a Harf. I am grateful for everyone who helps us turn our dreams into realities.

r.j.p: Which famous entertainers have influenced you? Why?

Oh man, how much space do you have? Ok, first and foremost Lenny Bruce is god in myopinion. He was the father of rough comedy. I urge anyone in the comedy or broad-casting industry to give his autobiography a read. As a kid my mother introduced me toRobin Williams, Gallagher and George Carlin. All three had a tremendous amount of

influence on shaping my brand of comedy and ideals. Then you get into broadcasters like Edward R.Murrow who were pivotal in putting forth actual NEWS and not just fluff. Being funny is fine, butbeing funny and smart with a good dose of ethics is what everyone should aspire for.

r.j.p: How do you market yourself and your show?

Social media is king. We shove ourselves downevery social media outlet we can. We have alsoadvertised locally in high school play programsand we are currently sponsoring The MichiganWitches Ball. Also we get out and interface withlocal business owners who then in turn put upflyers or bring us in to host events. Word ofmouth still works people. I can't stress thatenough, I often hear how much newspapers andmagazines or TV and normal radio charges foradvertising and it's just ridiculous. George Tate, Odd and Brian Douglas

You end up paying out the arse for an ad that may reach 2500 people, but most of thetime you're lucky to get 10. This is due to people ignoring advertisements. Ever heard ofTIVO and I really can't tell you the last time I paid attention to an ad in the paper.

r.j.p: I know you are a fan of comics - do you have favourite titles, artists, writers?

I love indie comics; one of my favorites is Chew from Image. I also enjoy a lot ofIndependent titles. I am eagerly awaiting the omnibus for Lackluster World by EricAdams. There is a locally made comic called IF-X by the Hamtramck Idea Men that is ananthology style comic I enjoy. I also read Darwin Carmichael Is Going To Hell and

Oglaf which are online comics. As for writers, I really enjoy Raven Gregory's work on the GrimFairytales series and the Wonderland series. Plus his original work The Waking was terrific. AlsoMichael Marcus from the Hamtramck Idea Men, I love the depth of his stories and the art work thataccompanies it gives it a cool retro pulp comic vibe. Oh and we must not forget the brains behindBuddha Monkey, RKYV's own r. j. paré.

r.j.p: What do you think of the term "starving artist"? Specifically, does the struggle to pay the bills; tobe compensated for one's work; influence what a creator will or won't pursue based on perceivedcommercial value?

Yes and No, I can really only speak for myself on this one. I often struggle with what Iput in versus what I get back. It's the nature of the beast when you're an independentbusiness owner or creator. We survive by the skin of our teeth sometimes just to do thingswith the show [granted not often because I am a very cautious owner]. I have big dreamsand tiny bank account which often is a real bummer, but this is what I love and what I have dreamtabout doing.

We can't really charge for what we do, but we make up for it through asking for donations (PBS style)or offering merchandise, but even then we want people to actually BUY it so we price it to move.There are ways to be compensated, but it comes down to a matter of commitment or at least the levelof commitment you're willing to go with. Do or do not, there is no try ~Yoda

r.j.p: You've talked a fair bit on yourshow about the ongoing strugglebetween those who wish to keep theinternet a medium for the freeexchange of ideas/information andthose corporate and government typeswho wish to limit access or control theinternet with legislation like PIPA andSOPA - could you maybe clarify yourposition on the subject for our readers?

SOPA, PIPA, ACTA andany other acronyms thatstrip your freedoms arebad for everyone. I am

interested in keeping the net free for guys like me to do what they love. Sure there are a few bad eggs,but there are even more bad eggs in business outside of the net. So are you going to strip away theirfreedoms too? If so, I think Coke, Ford and Apple might have something to say about that. Theinternet was founded for the free exchange of ideas and information, if you let things like these billsget turned into laws you have to then ask yourself where will it stop?

When will be enough for those in power? We already had a big blow to freedom with NDAA (look itup) and it's a scarier America that we now live in. I urge everyone who reads this both here in U.S.A.and abroad to pay attention to what is going in your governments. They'll try and distract you, youjust gotta be THAT much more diligent.

r.j.p: Will advancements in computer graphic tablet technology mean the days of paper & pulp aredoomed to the realm of fading memories?

No. Call me naive or what have you, but I'd like to think that physical mediums willendure. I enjoy reading a book. To put into a slight graphic explanation we can ALLunderstand. If you take a tablet or e-reader into the bathroom with you, you stand thechance of ruining it if dropped. You'll then be out a couple of hundred dollars versusdropping a book into the can by accident. I'll pay 20 bucks to replace a soggy book. Also, am I theonly one who has ever barred down on book for a more difficult push?

r.j.p: Do you find it difficult to staymotivated/inspired?

There are times when thedarkness and despair take over.Moments when I feelcompletely alone and ignored,

but that's part of it isn't it? You just got tosuck it up and put the best foot forward.Hope for the best and expect the worst. Ihave no delusions of grandeur* when itcomes to this stuff.

Kick Ass FamilyI'll never get rich off it and I'll be lucky to break even, but that isn't why I do this. I do it because Igenuinely love what I am doing. I have met so many great people and had a ton of great experiencesthat have left me with a lifetime of memories. I have gotten to take my friends and family along for theride. What could be better? The other thing that helps me stay on target is the fact that it's not justabout me, we promote the independent spirit and business owner. We offer an affordableadvertisement package for the local scene. We showcase bands from all over the country not justMichigan. We're an outlet they might not otherwise have to share their hard work and they are allgrateful for it. Also I find motivation in the urge to change how things are done. A lofty goal nodoubt, but I can see signs of my style of business being more widely accepted as more people hear myideas and experience working with me.

r.j.p: What do you think of the impact that socialnetworks have had as an alternate means ofconnecting you, your work and your audience?

I'd be dead in the water withoutthem and that's exactly how those incharge want it. Our country(America) use to be all about the littleguy building his empire from the ground up, butthanks to politics and greed that just isn't the caseanymore. Until the internet came along, now anyonecan be anywhere. Your store could be in

Nowheresville North Carolina, but thanks to the net you can have sales from all over the world.Facebook, twitter and the others all get a bad rap from their security holes and such, but they onlyhave as much info as you give them and for the small business owner they are invaluable tools to reachyour consumers/audiences. With out social media a lot of small fish would have died off.

Odd & Lloyd Kaufman

r.j.p: Are there any special episodes you arecurrently developing?

I am always looking forwardto bring something a littledifferent to the table. Thisyear we have opened our show

up to more of a round table style discussionduring our Sunday night topical program(wake the fck up). I have a few shows inmind, one on battling a addiction with acouple of friends who are on the other sideof it now.

Odd & OtisWe also have the goal of putting together a blow-out concert show for the season finale of 2013. Wealso get the joy of recoding live from Baconfest 2013. Which as an admitted Baco-phile I am totallyexcited to be a part of.

r.j.p: Do you view pod-casting as a longterm project/career or do you see yourselfusing Mad World Radio as a means toget your foot in the door withmainstream media like broadcast radio ortelevision?

I will NEVER go tomainstream radio. I couldn'tbe me and do what I do if Iwere to ever go there. I won't becensored or tethered to things I don'tbelieve in. I do see it as a viable "career"though because I offer somethingnobody else can. I have a plan in place towork towards getting a real studio and

being able to operate both as a radio station and low cost recording studio. I can't describe what it is,but even if I could....You wouldn't believe it anyways because it'd just be seen as hype. There is atestimonials page on the site, but if you really want to know why I am being interviewed and why Ihave the following I do then I suggest you tune into a live broadcast. All your answers will be there.

Odd & Kevin Smith

r.j.p: Is there anything else you’d like to let our readers know about before ya go?

What we are doing is called Mad World Radio Presents: (the subtitle changes). It's avariety show of comedians and musicians. We wanted to help further showcase talentbeyond the normal internet based show. So we chose to partner with one of our sponsors,a bar called Andrews on the Corner ( www.andrewsonthecorner.com ) the last Saturday of

every month. We bring in 6 to 8 acts and it's a completely free show. So far it's been a hit and we aregoing to be able to keep doing them there. I have a comic friend of mine as my cohost (Rob Manier,look him up!) and my wife Liz help document the evening via video and photography. I have had agreat bunch of talent so far. I want to thank Justin Godell, Harry Artin, Digg Johnson, Bobby Bayn,Tim Majik, Carmel Liburdi, Guy Williams, Michael Crider, Robert Louis, Cindy Young, NovaGreen, Zach Stein, Robert Moore and a very special thank you to an unexpected guest at our show inMay. We were treated to music from a local legend here in Detroit. Blues musician extraordinaire PaulMiles.

Odd, The Devil and Gin

r.j.p: I want to take a moment and thank Odd Man for his patience in awaiting this long-overdueissue and for the occasional social networking “poke in the ribs” to get my shite together and getpublishing again…

Bowie – by Mike Grattan

On Writing_____________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 On Writing

“Steve Ditko”

So much hoopla over Jack Kirby I hear, but Steve Ditko seems to get the shaft because people

only recognize him for “allegedly” creating Spider-Man. Having read Ditko's Ted Kord Blue Beetle,the very first issue prior to DC buying Charlton Comics, and having read Ditko's ASM, I have alwaysbeen floored by his expressive illustrations and his art grew from his time drawing Spider-Man whereit had a cartoony flair to more complex.

Blue Beetle was just a

very bright kid when the role ofhero was thrust upon him andusing his intellect and rigerioustraining in martial arts andgymnastics. Blue Beetle became ahero that had that innocentcharm of Spider-Man, and thesci-fi gadgetry of Batman.

Where as Kirby was known forhis archtypical heroes, Ditkocreated characters withpersonality, and charm. A shamethat DC and now Marvel havetaken what was best of his twocreations and turned one of theminto a corpse and the other into ajoke.

I think the best part of Ditko's Blue Beetle was he used non-lethal weaponry and had a mood muchlighter than Spider-Man. Also, Ditko showed he was not a one trick pony by creating the Creeperwith Dennis O'Neil.

Digital Dream manips of Ditko and Kirby – by r.j. paré

The Godfather of Flower Power – by Stephen Gibb

_____________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 Short Fiction

WHITE ZOMBIE STORIES

“CHOPPER”By Richard Evans

Virgil had lived above R&Z’s Garage foras long as he could remember. The owner RobbieWatson was a kind man and Virgil liked him verymuch. Virgil was over six and a half feet tall andas wide as a bull, he’d been that way ever since hereached puberty. He couldn’t remember muchfrom his childhood but Robbie had told the storyof how he had found him many times. Whilethrowing out the trash twenty years ago Robbiehad thrown open the lid to the large dumpsterthey used and there he was, a starving little boywith large brown eyes. Robbie was shocked hehad to look around and make sure he wasn’tbeing pranked or something. Who could possiblyleave a seven year old child in a dumpster likethat? The boy remained with Robbie while the

police hunted for his mother. Unsure of how long he’d be there, Robbie had set him up in a roomabove the mechanic shop. When the police eventually found his mother she was in no condition totake care of Virgil so he remained with Robbie, working around the shop. Child Services weresupposed to take him eventually but Rolla was a small Kansas town and no one ever came. Eventuallythe apartment above became Virgil’s home. Robbie had asked him to come live with him and hisfamily but Virgil had declined. The apartment above the garage was his first home in his life and hehad no intention of leaving it. It was the first place he had ever felt safe.

Virgil had grown quite large over the years, wide shouldered and well over six feet tall. Robbie had saidjokingly that it was all the corn Virgil ate. The day Virgil had earned his first dollar in the shop he hadfound a little vegetable stand. He was pulling a small wagon of broken automotive parts to the scrapyard Robbie owned a few miles outside of town. The bushel of corn was only a dollar. Virgil had neverhad so much food to himself before and he had needed the wagon to bring it back to his apartment.To the homeless son of a junkie this was a feast.

Cover Art – by Matias Basla

Even though Robbie had insisted that night that he eat with the family, Virgil was eager to get homeand cook his corn on a small barbeque he had repaired. It had become one of his many routines topick up a bushel of corn each week on his way back from the scrapyard. One week when the farmerhad gotten sick, Robbie was upset and disappointed and waited at the empty booth for the entire dayhoping she would show up. His size had its benefits especially around the shop. But it also brought itsshare of headaches. The Shop Manager and Robbie’s business partner Zed McCallum hated Virgil. Asthe boy had grown, Zed’s hatred of him seemed to grow as well. The insults had become harsher andmeaner over the years. Although they happened very rarely the physical attacks had also grown incruelty as well. Virgil rarely felt any physical pain from the bullying but it hurt him on a differentlevel. No matter how hard he tried it seemed Zed was determined to hate him. Virgil was kind-heartedand had never done a cruel thing or said a mean word to another human being in his entire life. Yet hewas beginning to feel a sense of disgust around Zed. Virgil did everything he could to avoid beingaround him.

“Niggers don’t know nothin’ about choppers, Robbie.” Zed said.

Virgil peaked around the edge of the garage door and looked out. Zed and Robbie stood outside themain garage door having a cigarette together. Robbie shuffled his feet nervously and constantlyadjusted his cap on his head.“Zed I’ve told you about using that language in the shop.” Robbie said, looking at the ground.

“I’m not talking about our customers, I’m talking about Virgil. You don’t want that boy working onbikes, Robbie.”

A week ago Virgil had started rebuilding a motorcycle he’d found abandoned by the side of the road.It was just a frame and it was too big for his apartment but he’d kept it anyway. A young man hadbeen killed in a motorcycle accident that week and his smashed motorcycle was in pieces inside theutility cart Virgil now used for his trips to the scrap yard. He placed the newly found motorcycle framein his cart and took all of it back to his apartment. Virgil had an uncanny ability to read and absorbinformation and within a few days he was able to visualize what needed to be done to repair his new-found motorcycle. Robbie thought he was gifted but Virgil wasn’t sure what that meant. He had a waywith machines but sometimes he failed to understand the meaning of things people said to him.

“He got a fifty year old motorcycle engine running in a week, Zed. Are you still working on thosebrake pads from last Wednesday?” Robbie said.

“What are you talking about Robbie? Are you sayin’ that retard is faster than me?” Zed replied angrily.Of all the cruel words Zed hurled at Virgil either directly or behind his back THAT word was the onehe hated the most. Virgil had started reading the dictionary and although it wasn’t as easy as the booksabout machines, he’d managed to learn what a few of Zed’s words meant. Maybe by definition he wasa “nigger”, maybe he was even “slow”. But he certainly was no retard.

Zed was beginning to raise his voice as Robbie just shook his head. Robbie finally caught sight ofVirgil and he decided he’d heard enough from Zed. Virgil felt awkward watching them and turned tosweep in the other direction.

“Alright Zed, I ain’t talking about this again. If someone wants to hire him, we’ll give him a shot,alright?” Robbie said. Zed through up his hands and stormed off, stomping his feet in the dirt like achild.

Virgil couldn’t help feeling that their argument was his fault. A week before Virgil had found amotorcycle discarded by the side of the road. It looked as if it had been ran over by a truck and Virgildid not know if the driver had died or if they had simply tossed it aside once it was no longer usable.Virgil could never understand how supposedly smart people could throw away things that were so easyto fix. Robbie also owned a junkyard that was just on the other side of the corn field that stretched forfive miles. He was able to pick up all kinds of spare parts for his new motorcycle there and once he’dcleaned every part of the engine it ran as smoothly as it ever could. Virgil had started rebuilding it inhis apartment but he soon realized that there was not enough room up there and Robbie had told himit was dangerous to have an engine running indoors, that Virgil could die, so he was allowed to rebuildthe motorcycle on the shop floor. It was exciting that Robbie was letting him work like a realmechanic, with real tools and everything, but it also scared him because the shop floor was Zed’sterritory. Zed had burned him the last time he’d taken a tool, whacking him with a copper rod he’dbeen melting with a welder. Virgil decided he’d wait and talk to Robbie again. The last thing hewanted to do was cause any more fights between the two of them.

A couple of days later Robbie knocked on the door of Virgil’s apartment. The door was open soRobbie entered, shouting out Virgil’s name politely. Robbie took off his hat and rubbed his baldingscalp. The apartment perplexed him.

“Virg? You here Virgil?” Robbie called out.

It was so full of neatly organized junk that Robbie couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Robbie kept hishat off even though there was no reason to be formal with Virgil. Robbie was old fashioned and a mantook his hat off in another man’s home.

Robbie looked around the living room to see what had changed since the last time he was there. Twomore televisions were added to the previous two against the wall, giving Virgil four of them stackedtogether. Robbie doubted he ever watched them. Just like the beaten or chair that sat in front of thetelevisions, Virgil simply collected them because he believed that was what people did. Robbie had achair that looked similar in his den in front of the flat screen TV, laid out in a similar fashion toVirgil’s living room. There was one major difference though; Virgil had tables running end to endalong the walls of the apartment. On those tables were various electronic and mechanical devices thatVirgil had meticulously disassembled. An old radio sat on one of the tables with its parts surgically and

precisely placed next to the housing. Yet on the table next to it was a pile of blenders, various modelsfrom different era dumped together into one big mess. Robbie knew there was a logical methodbehind Virgil’s habits but he could not figure out what it was.

“Over here Robbie.” Virgil shouted from the spare room. Robbie walked into the room and saw Virgilsitting cross legged on the floor in front of the motorcycle frame. The engine was already attached butVirgil seemed to be perplexed by something.

“You leaving for the day Robbie?” Virgil asked, not looking up from the bike. Robbie sat down on thefloor next to him and stretched out his legs.

“Yeah. But I wanted to make sure you could move this thing okay on your own. Down to the shop,you know.” Robbie replied.

“Yeah. I can. Thanks.” Virgil gave Robbie a big grin and continued to remove one of the bolts with awrench.

“You know you can use the shop tools too, to fix this thing up?” Robbie asked.

Virgil nodded his smile fading.

“What is it Virgil?”

“Is Mr. Zed okay with that?” Virgil asked.

“He sure doesn’t like me touching his tools.”

Robbie put his hand on Virgil’s shoulder.

“Well Zed is certainly no mister; let’s get that out of the way right off the jump. And he may be theshop manager, but he ain’t the boss. I am. Okay?”

Virgil nodded but he did not seem convinced. Robbie rubbed his shoulders with his right hand for acouple minutes and then used the larger young man to pull himself to his feet.

“You want to come over for dinner tomorrow?” Robbie asked as he stretched out his back.

“Sure. Wait. No. Thank you.” Virgil replied. “I want to work on this. Zed said niggers don’t knowanything about motorcycles. But I read all those books over there.” Virgil pointed to a large pile of oldbooks, some of them fifty years old, their spines shattered and tattered.

“Virgil, Zed says a lot of dumb things. Part of being an adult is learning to ignore all the fools outthere.” Robbie said. He put his hat back on and pulled the brim down low over his eyes.

“Trust me Virgil, there are a lot of fools out there. I’ll see you Monday morning.”

First thing Saturday morning Virgil was up and moving the parts for his motorcycle downstairsto the shop. Zed was still unlocking all the doors when he saw Virgil carrying the pieces down, thelarge man already sweating.

“Good morning.” Virgil said as he walked passed Zed and set the parts down in a corner of the shop.Zed ignored him, loudly sipping his hot coffee as he opened the doors to the offices.

The staircase to Virgil’s apartment was inside the building but separate, running up the inside of thebuilding around the corner from the front entrance. The large motorcycle frame was almost too bigfor the stairwell which is why Virgil had left it to the end. He went as slowly as possible, trying toavoid scrapping the walls. When he reached the bottom he sat the bike skeleton down on the ground,wiping the sweat from his forehead. As he rubbed his eyes Zed suddenly came around the corner,unaware of the frame underfoot.

With a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other he could not catch himself and he smashed hisankles into it. Zed flew forward, hitting the ground hard in spray of coffee as the cup burst open.

Virgil could only stand there watching as Zed slowly got to his feet. It had happened so fast that Virgilwasn’t even quite sure what had happened or where Zed had come from. The anger and hatred inZed’s eyes as he whipped around to face Virgil made the big man step back slightly. Zed crushed hisnow empty cup and tossed it aside.

“You listen to me Virgil. Keep your stupid ass and all your stupid garbage away from me and my shop.You got it?” Zed said.

Virgil nodded in agreement but Zed continued to stare at him. He wondered if Zed was going to hithim, he’d done it before but not since he’d grown so big and broad. Virgil felt sure he was going tostrike him but instead Zed relit his cigarette.

“It ain’t even worth it, beating on you.” Zed said as he turned around.

“It’s like beating a dumb dog.”

--- To be Continued… ---

By Corinne Vuillemin - crayons de papier/pencils on paperA4 (Juillet 2010)

_______________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 Indie Comic

_______________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 Indie Comic

Randy Paré: Not too long ago, a Brazilian artist namedDaniel HDR posted an image for a concept he called“The Justice League of Hanna Barbera,”which took a variety of characters from different HannaBarbera cartoons and brought them together as a newteam. I asked Daniel if he could share this image withRKYV and he graciously agreed and provided us with astep by step look at creating the illustration.

Daniel HDR: While talking with myfriend site DC Multiverse[http://www.multiversodc.com/v2/], we recalledthe classic superheroes of Hanna-Barbera:Space Ghost, Bird-Man, Mightor, TheHerculoids, Galaxy Trio, among manyothers. These characters had neverinteracted in the animations from 60’s &70’s.

But a whole universe was exploited by producers when some of thecharacters appeared on Adult Swim in Space Ghost - Coast to Coastand Harvey (Bird Man) Lawyer.

Justice League + mood = the unforgettable written by JMDeMatteis, Keith Giffen and uniquely illustrated by Kevin Maguire(who I had the pleasure of meeting on my return to New YorkComic Con 2011). In the classic cover of # 1, Maguire showed thecharacters of the team being seen from above, and all characterslooking to the reader, in an ironic way.

It was then that I decided to do a double homage:to that cover and the classic superheroes from Hanna-Barbera.

Top: The Young Samson and his lion Goliath, Man-Vapor, floater and Meteor Man (The GalaxyTrio), Tara, Igoo and Zandor, the Herculoids.

Center: Bird Man andhis eagle Avenger, SpaceGhost.

And here is my Justice League Saturday morning :)

Bottom: The Blue Falcon and Dynamite , the bionicão; Mightor;

r.j.p: To follow Daniel and his amazing work – http://danielhdr.wordpress.com/

Poetry_______________________________________________________________________________ISSUE 55 Poetry

Selected Poemby Wanda VanHoy Smith

Numismatics andPhilately

My neighbor tells me he read thatsome damn fool coin collector justpaid over a million dollars for a rare1702 penny.

I reply, “It will be crappy if some baby orpuppy swallows such a rare coin”I am surprised to hear that in the year 2012numismatists still exist.

Before TV offered Howdy Doody after schoolmost kids collected something like stamps.baseball cards, comic books and whatever.Cub Scouts earned merit badges for collectingstuff like rocks.

Rockhounds are called PetrologistsThat's probably behind the brilliant idea tosell Pet Rocks on television.Now collecting is discouraged.Parents have a fear of clutter.

Newshounds report a thin line betweenhoarding and collecting and find shame insaving anything just for the fun of it.This would surprise monarchs who enjoyedPhilately the “Hobby of Kings”

President FDR had a passion for stamp collecting.As did the Prince of Monaco and czars in Russia.King George of England was told by a friend thathe heard some damn fool paidover a thousand pounds for a rare postage stamp.The King replied, “That damn fool was me.”

I only hope some damn fool will read mycollection of poetry.

Choke – by Stephen Gibb

This process seems insaneHow a complete strangerSomeone I never meet in personOr spend time with to get to knowGets elected into a position of authorityAnd one that can decide our fate

Someone who only reads the highlightsWritten on paper

Spread out for all to seeMuch of which is negativity

Someone who litigates based upon the immediate need Or next quandaryAll of the arguments Designed to portray one another as monstersInstead of who they areLife’s once filled by loveNow on display to be judgedAs trampled disgust

Little ones who didn’t ask for this dramaSuddenly forced to grow up faster and wiser beyond their years

To understand life will never be the sameAnd they will be scarred for life

Elected official and attorneys Hidden behind closed doorsWhile I sit in agony with thoughts and fears racing through my mindPraying for a speedy and favorable processOnly to be told I must pay and come back in a few more weeks

SelectedPoetry

by Frances Nichols Vargas

Archaic andInsane Drama

A stranger decides, because he is electedThat he can postpone life

And hand down judgments based upon Other hired peopleWho try their best to represent the wishes of all interests

A Judge Who listens to more strangers describeIn their best opinions the situationDoctors, teachers, and specialistsUsing unbiased opinionsFamily and friends doing their best to represent those involvedTo the best they can describe

So they shine brightCounting the days

For the next appearanceTo the next conference

And what little will be achievedAll the while my nerves are on end

Wishing for the process to endSitting outside the courtroomPraying and wishing For a way to pick up the pieces of what little remainsPraying to God for peace and lifeAnd all the good that is supposed to come from lifeWishing for some sense of reliefAnd Hoping soon for life to return to some sense of normal once again

King Midas – by Stephen Gibb

Seems archaicA group of strangers can decide

What our lives will be likeIn the blink of an eye

Fairy Tale Tragedy

Two amazing forcesBoth tattered and torn

Very well wornDreaming of a kingdom

Where only fairy tales could come true

Where Kings and QueensAnd dragon slayers are quite a sight to see

Even the beautiful and rare unicorns are roaming free

Two forces drawn togetherBy God’s loving angels

With trumpets blowing and cherubs thinkingA match made in heaven

Why- these two could quite possibly beSomething quite amazing for all to see

To see these two lovers togetherWearing their hearts on their sleeves

Even thought it was just about as perfect as could beBut like all good and well written fairy tales

No one would ever have knownThat the fairytale would go up in a cloud of foggy smoke

The dark forces were working hardTo tear them apart

And would succeed in destroying a heart

Even the Kings and KingsDisappointed as they would be

Couldn’t understand how evil couldWork its dark and sad sorcery to shred a love that was

So pureSuch magic

A love that should by all accountsHave endured

The devilish details is where the rest of the story liesAnd the two lovers bid a sad goodbye

*Art by Amon Arora

Poetic Perspectivesby r.j. paré

SERVICE MARKETING

"HELLO,"

Salutations and inquiriesThe opening scriptAn introductory gambitWrapped in pleasantGreetings.

"WE'RE NOT AVAILABLE,"

All preparations frustratedThe smooth toned interplayOf practiced pitch

Now interruptedRapport.

"LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE..."

Overture to dismissalThe automation movesWith swift finalityInviting my recordedPetition.

"BEEP!"

On Streets Of Gold – by Kevin Curtis Barr

Stop The Madness!by Darke Raven

The Death of That SuperCharacter Person...Don't Worry! Be Happy!

You'd think that was simple common sense, that! Somy favorite superhero or heroine just died in thiscomic. I will write my disapproval, drop it from mypull list, and be done with it, right? OK! Now gosuggest that to everyone who sent blood warm NewYear's Death Threats to Dan Slott over AmazingSpider-Man #700 and the "death" of Peter Parker akaSpider-Man.

Wait... he's still ALIVE? Yeah... well until recently. Butdon't you worry. He'll get over being dead before youknow it. Maybe it didn't register with some people(Dan Slott too apparently) but killing heroes like thisisn't a new thing! In fact its way, way old school! And,yes, eventually a lot of these characters stopped beingdead!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes... well, he tried. But Holmes got over it.

Tolkien killed off Gandalf in LOTR Fellowship of the Ring... he came back, twice as white, in TwoTowers. Paramount killed off Spock in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan, only for angry irate fans todemand his resurrection which happened in Star Trek III The Search For Spock in which Kirk's sonDavid died... he's still dead BTW.

DC Comics left the fate of Jason Todd aka Robin II in your hands! A gimmick to prove fans didn'thate him that much... they did, and he died. Then Superboy Prime went to another dimension,punched some walls, and Jason Todd stopped being dead, among other ridiculous tripe.

Of course if we are talking death then it must be theDeath of Superman. He died, Shaq got an S shieldtattoo and mourned, and everyone was sad... then afew months later we got a Superboy, Steel,Eradicator and evil Cyborg... oh, and Superman gotbetter. Whether or not Superboy Prime punchingwalls had anything to do with it or not had anythingto do with it remains to be seen, but I like to thinkPa Kent was the one who did it, interdimensionalwall punching be damned!

Iron Man died, but he got better. Batman died,both dead dead and reputation dead after Batmanand Robin, but he got better. They even broughtback Bucky, Captain America's old sidekick, whowas first the Winter Soldier, then Captain Americawhen Steve was killed, then... whatever. Steve's aliveagain by the way.

Even Spidey's Uncle Ben can't stay dead. He'sbrought back to life every time Spider-Man isrebooted... then promptly killed again to motivatePeter to become Spider-Man... go figure.

I could go on but you get the point.

So, the next time your favorite character dies? Pour yourself a refreshing drink, maybe a muffin (nopony can be sad if they have a muffin), grab your favorite back issues, don't worry, be happy and…

stop the madness.

Sam Johnson:

“Previous RKYV cover star Geek-Girl is gettingnew editions of her issue #0!”

More details here:

http://samjohnson-comics.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/geek-girls.html

Note: As your intrepid editor gets this Zine back onto a, somewhat, monthly schedule I will also begetting caught up on some genre-related movie reviews. I’ve now had the opportunity to watch thefollowing a few times, first on the big-screen, and now on cable.

IMO by r.j. pare

The Dark Knight Rises- The Review

The Nolan Bros. & David S. Goyer set out towrite a fitting finale to the current Batmanfilm trilogy. The story has it all: secrets arerevealed, twists and turns, a fall and a rise,redemption and a sacrifice...

For fans of the Nolan trilogy and theChristian Bale interpretation of the characterthis film resolves story threads from earlier inthe series as well as introducing newcharacters for potential future stories. Thefilm reflects the era in which it was filmed - atime when people have taken to the streets inprotest against a system that allows so few tohave so much at the expense of the vastmultitudes.

Like all great villains Bane exploits the misery of the masses. He justifies his actions by presentinghimself as a revolutionary. Thousands flock to his message as the wealthy are ripped from their bedsand dragged in the public square. Bane presents as a

“Robespierre for the new millennia.”

He plays at being Che Guevera for Gotham City, except that...

It is all a lie - he is in truth a member of League Of Shadows an organization of assassins & terrorists.His reign of terror, as all such reigns thankfully do, ends when the people rise up and reject suchextremism in order to re-establish the rule of law. Batman and his compatriots lead the charge... butBane's army is actually defeated by the freed GCPD - the people of Gotham. Batman has always beena symbol, an idea bigger than the man. As Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne explains to Det. Blake

"anyone could be Batman."

And that is where we are left in the uplifting moments of the film's final scenes: a city is doing its bestto rebuild; our Dark Knight warrior-hero enjoys his well-earned rewards with his lady fair [AnneHathaway's fine performance as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman] and the tools of the trade are left in thecapable hands of Robin John Blake to carry on the legacy of...

The Batman.

Raised On Saturday

Morning Cartoonsby Pauline Paré

NETFLIX GETS ORIGINAL

Welcome back readers. Much time has passed since I regaled you with my opinions on the world oftelevision. In fact, much has changed on that front over the last decade. As I have mentioned before,people are viewing their chosen programs in a myriad of new ways. The days of people arranging theirown lives to watch a favourite television episode in a set one hour block of time is fading. Now, we candigitally record, view on demand or stream from a preferred site. I joined the Netflix bandwagon inearly June of 2012 and kept subscribing for the great series I never managed to catch (How I Met YourMother, Weeds, Freaks and Geeks) and amazing series I had never heard of (Misfits and Sherlock,both from the BBC). Now, Netflix is taking a cue from the remarkable specialty channels such asHBO and Showtime, who make incredibly watchable original series of their own. In 2012, Netflixreleased its first original series, Lillehammer and in 2013, House of Cards.

At first glance, I was impressed that on the premiere dates, an entire season became available onNetflix at the same time. I have to admit to waiting for a season to be over to watch a series because Iso enjoy the continuity of watching episodes one after another. My husband describes it as getting intoa “watching groove”. The idea of releasing a series of episodes all at once seems fitting because that isthe main selling point of Netflix to begin with: entire series, uncut and without commercial breaks.This idea is modern and may very well be the future of TV viewing. The original idea of Neilsonfamilies being responsible for the ratings our shows receive is now antiquated. I am looking forward tothe day when wonderful programming is not cancelled just because its viewers are firmly planted intothe 21st century.

For this article, I decided to sample a singleepisode from each series to get an opinionon the quality of Netflix’s work. I began bywatching the first episode of Lillehammersince it was Netflix’s initial foray intooriginal programming. The episode beganin New York at a mob boss’s funeral. Ourmain character is Frank Tagliano,brilliantly played by Steve Van Zandt ofThe Sopranos. The setup for the storycontinues quite predictably until he testifiesto spite the new boss and ends up inwitness protection. When discussing his placement, he springs a surprise on the feds. He wants to goto Norway, the least likely place that his old friends will search for him. What ensues is a delightfulfish out of water story that unfolds with a slow and deliberate pacing that I have come to recognizefrom European produced television. I have mixed feelings about this format, it works for me only partof the time, but it seems to suit this particular story. We have seen this plot before in otherincarnations (Northern Exposure, Green Acres) yet the scenery, the style of filming and the freshwriting makes this version feel unique. I loved seeing into Franks heart and meeting the odd group ofpeople that are now interacting with him. His New York bravado initially seems to land him in hotwater, but his street smarts soon pay off. I have since finished watching the first season of Lillehammerand I classify it as a successful attempt on Netflix’s behalf to dive into the often perilous waters oforiginal programming. Netflix first aired the series in Norway and recently commissioned a secondseason.

The Second Netflix series I tried, House of Cards, had already drawn me in with its powerhousecasting. The two lead roles are played by Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Did that get yourattention?

This choice of casting says to me that Netflix is serious about its foray into original programming andis planning to give the big networks a run for their money. Of course, cinematography and writingplay a huge part in the success of a series so I watched with a critical eye. I quickly found myself drawninto a plot of political intrigue and drama that was paced like and action series where the weaponswere replaced by words. Kevin Spacey’s performance was everything you would expect form such apowerful actor. His line delivery as Frank Underwood sent shivers down my spine. Robin Wrightperformed with the same intensity as Mr. Spacey. Her character was not overshadowed by hisperformance in any way. The main character is Francis Underwood, the majority whip in congress.When a promotion to Secretary of State falls through, Congressman Underwood sets a risky plan inmotion that could destroy many and elevate a few. |This is an adaption of a UK series of the samename and all 13 episodes of the first season premiered on Netflix on February 1st. House of cards wasshopped around on all the major movie networks but Netflix outbid the others. It premiered to criticalacclaim.

Not a bad start for Netflix. These two series will havepeople taking this new foray into original TVprogramming very seriously. Entertainment is moving intoa new age: some of it is brilliant and some is Honey BooBoo and the Grumpy Cat movie. I like to think that atleast part of this idea that Netflix had, of releasing a fullseason at once, falls into the first category. Investing mytime and love into series like Firefly and Jericho, just tohave them cancelled before a resolution, is heartbreakingand frustrating.

Who would buy a book that has the last few chapters missing and a blurb at the back that reads “If wesell enough books, the author will write the ending and mail those last chapters to you”? I am sureeveryone has a series they felt was cancelled too soon. If this idea became more widespread, we couldalways be confident we were getting the concluding chapters.

[Since I started this article, the Netflix originalHemlock Grove was released. I have to admit to beinga little less impressed with this attempt at asupernatural series. I gave it three episodes to grab meand I will not be viewing any further. I was bemusedby one scene. There was a werewolf transformation inthe third episode that was unlike any I had ever seen.

It was slightly grotesque and very intriguing but not enough to make me continue. Not that this willturn me off of trying other Netflix originals. Not every show can be a winner. ]