NogsOnline

I just wanted to let you guys know that you single-handedly got me back into comic books.  For that, thank you.  Because of you, I've finally read Watchmen, Preacher, and Y: The Last Man (among other amazing books), which ended being the best three comic book series I've ever read.

To thank you, I've been making all of my Amazon.com and GoDaddy.com purchases through you guys, and in the spirit of the holidays, I've just signed up for the $42/year membership and made a one-time $50 donation.  Now, my wife agreed to this, but would not agree to the $100/year membership.  Sorry about that.  You should still send me the deluxe t-shirt... if you were cool, you would.  Just sayin'.  =)

If you won't do that (really, my feelings won't be hurt), I do have a list of simple DEMANDS:

1)  Follow me on twitter [ www.twitter.com/johncachero ] some of you already follow me on Flickr.

2)  Speaking of Flickr, check out my photos covering the opening of a new LCS in Virginia, Local Heroes.  Their link is all over the set, but I'm not advertising them, I'm advertising me... so go here [  http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogsonline/sets/72157611434023469/ ] Log-in and fave some photos while you're there (I'm looking at you, Conor).

That's all.  Keep up the good work.

...I lied.  One more DEMAND:

3)  Please tell me that you guys are planning on recording an end of the year wrap-up of all things non-comic book related.  Last year's was fantastic and so entertaining.  You must record another.

Happy Holidays,

John Cachero

After watching this during work earlier, I had scrapped my plans to go see "Wanted" with my wife based on the two glowing reviews by Josh and Conor.  However,  my wife and I had our hearts set on watching it, so we did... and I tell you what, "Wanted" was a ton of fun to watch.  Sure, the "Loom of Fate" was ridiculous, but so is curving bullets.  Sure, it didn't follow the mini-series, but who cares.  Like you guys said in the "Wanted" comic book episode, they didn't market this as a comic book movie in the first place.

Taking it for what it was (a stylized action movie), we had a great time watching this over-the-top flick.

My, oh my.  BCM just basically spent the entire podcast complaining about the very definition of what a review is.  Whether it's comic books, music, television, or movies, it's ALL opinion, and Josh was completely correct in stating that it's the job of the reader to take from it what they will.

Then the audacity to say, I don't care about a bad review on the internet, yet take the time to make the first post, then a reply post, then an hour long recorded conversation about "not caring"?

I also love in the first 10 minutes he danced around his words trying to sound like he didn't care, but the very essence of him talking about it contradicted his attempts.  Also, how many people does he think are out there that a 50s noir story is their cup-of-tea and also has an audience to listen to his review?  Those are the ONLY reviews he wants to read?  I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't MY cup-of-tea; don't I have the freedom to say whether it was good or not?

Listening to him go on and on and on put me in a bad mood, so much so that I felt the need to actually comment, which I rarely do on anything on the internet.  I've enjoyed the stuff I've read from him, but after listening to this, I'm going to have a skewed view on whether I'm going to spend any money on his books ever again.

That said, I would like to close by welcoming BCM to the internet.  Grow some thick skin, buddy.

Excellent essay, Gordon.

I just moved back close to my hometown and I work all the way across town from the LCS I used to frequent as a young boy over 20 years ago.  I make the trip to shop at that store for a few simple reasons similar to why you go to your LCS:

1) It's clean, 2) it's well-lit, 3) it's organized, 4) they pull my weekly comics, and 5) the guy that works every Wednesday, Tony, is a friendly dude.

Clean, organized, friendly... don't we wish all our LCS's were like that?

BTW, here's a good photo of my comic book guy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogsonline/2439314929/in/set-72157604155011350/