Virtual Fools

That’s right, folks. I bring you Shatter, “The First Computerized Comic!” So there I was, browsing the ten cent rack at a local bookstore–the section where they dump all of the stuff that they can’t buy from customers but offer to place outside, with the ten and twenty-five cent proceeds donated to NPR–and I happened upon this interesting looking book. I saw this messy cover and was immediately intrigued by the apparent mix of Blade Runner and Han Solo. Needless to say, I was … Continue Reading

Comics can be very bizarre.  On the one hand, they often have the ability to condense incredibly complicated information in a readily understandable way.  On the other, popular comics (especially superhero comics) tend to contain the most outlandish, potentially confusing goings-on of any artform.  It is no wonder that comicdom breeds tenacious fans.  Merely understanding some of the long story arcs, character metamorphoses over several years, and levels of reference between issues can require a lifetime of dedication.  I am a recently serious (though still casual and occasional) comic book reader.  One of … Continue Reading

The Virtual Fools are proud to present the “best” of 2007. The judging criteria has been quite rigorous: “pick your favorites of the good stuff that you actually got to watch/read/hear/play/experience.” Read on!

Best Film

Kevin - The most touching film I saw this year was The Savages (directed by Tamara Jenkins). Despite the fact that it virtually oozed “indie” and felt similar to many recent vintage pop-indie films during key scenes (especially Little Miss Sunshine), it was by turns serious and funny. This will probably go down as the year of Philip Seymour Hoffman - though each … Continue Reading

[Note: The images that I intended to have accompany this piece are stuck on my cell phone, which for some reason does not want to synch up with my computer’s Bluetooth. Until then, verbal imagination, not visual!]

It has been roughly a week since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has hit shelves across the world. People - fans and newcomers alike - are deadly series about this book. This strikes as slightly funny, since the title is almost an oxymoron akin to Harry Potter and the Jumbo Shrimp…a hallow, of course, being associated with religious rites, presumably … Continue Reading

I’m not able to spend entirely that much time reading comics, though I wish I did. My tastes are a little varied – often, the assurance and expectation of superhero comics are just what the doctor ordered. However, as time goes by, I find myself searching ever-harder for comics that work a little bit differently. Now that graphic storytelling has a certain air of legitimacy (thanks is due for Scott McCloud, whose books Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, and Making Comics cannot be underestimated), many are approaching comic books with a reverence once reserved for high … Continue Reading

I never thought that I’d be discussing problems and issues in the publishing industry from the comparatively safe vantage point of a website, but such is life. For internet readers, publishing in print now occupies a peculiar place. Books are not as necessary, or as widely read, as they once were. Periodicals and newspapers have been somehow supplanted by the instant internet press (present company excluded - since when have we been that on top of things)? As readers, this presents us with a problem: should we continue to support printed media with our wallets or should we simply stick … Continue Reading

While sifting through the ever-amusing 50 cent bin at the Comics Cubicle in Williamsburg some weeks ago, I stumbled - nay, by providence was guided toward - the most promising comic title I had seen in many moons. Suddenly, between my unworthy index finger and thumb, there rested a pristine, as-yet-unopened copy of Mr. T and the T Force #1, complete with GOLD FOIL TRADING CARD. Hardly able to contain myself, I threw a handful of change at the cashier (in this, my hyperbolic retelling of the tale) and rushed home. I will describe this jewel in the order I … Continue Reading

Throughout much of their history, super-hero comic books have been about good versus evil. Simple binaries were set up between the hero and the villain-Batman and The Joker, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin-which allowed for simple tales about right and wrong, crime and punishment. Over the years, writers have developed heroes with dynamic personalities and tragic villains. There have often been conflicts between mainstream law and the heroes who vow to uphold it. In the X-Men universe, much of the population wants to see the imprisonment and eradication of mutants and the police chiefs in New York and Gotham don’t … Continue Reading

We each picked a number of different categories to write on, some the same, some completely different. But here’s stuff from 2005 that Virtual Fools believes is worth getting a mention on the Internet.

Jimmy’s Picks
Best Movie: “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” I’ll be honest: when I look back, it seems like I didn’t watch that many new movies in 2005. But of the ones I did see, I feel like I saw the best. “Hitchhiker’s Guide” gets top honors because it’s fun, it’s hilarious, it managed to breathe new life into a long-running and much-abused franchise etc. Plus, I … Continue Reading

John Kenneth Muir’s Official Website

KF- I’ll start with the general. First off, one of my best friends is Chris Muir, and he is related to John Muir the naturalist. Are you?

JKM - I think so but I don’t know for sure. My ancestors were in Hoboken, New Jersey. One was a fire chief, in Hoboken, New Jersey in the 1880s, his name was John Muir. I have his fire lantern as an heirloom. I like to claim I’m related to the other John Muir, but that might be a lie.

KF - I’ve read other … Continue Reading

This was an essay written for my comic books class. The purpose of the essay was to discuss an author’s style without spending much time on theme. This accounts for the abrupt opening of the essay. The page of Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns I chose can be viewed in full here: Dark Knight Page 20. I’ve also included this link “(FULL)” in various place throughout the essay for quick reference to the full page image. This is posted for educational purposes only; an example of brilliant authorship and artistry. Enjoy.

… Continue Reading

The Political Technology of Super-Hero Individuals: Mark Millar’s The Ultimates Throughout much of their history, super-hero comic books have been about good versus evil. Simple binaries were set up between the hero and the villain-Batman and The Joker, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin-which allowed for simple tales about right and wrong, crime and punishment. Over the years, writers have developed heroes with dynamic personalities and tragic villains. There have often been conflicts between mainstream law and the heroes who vow to uphold it. In the X-Men universe, much of the … Continue Reading

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to bring you what I consider to be one of the most worthwhile “things” to ever grace the Virtual Fools server. Since hearing about Lucky Wander Boy, I’ve wanted to get a chance to talk with the man who was able to marry the heretofore un-combinable worlds of contemporary fiction and video game culture. Well, I did have a chance to have some correspondence with D.B. Weiss, and I bring to you the results of that dialogue. With a text as rich as Lucky Wander Boy, there was certainly … Continue Reading