February 2016: Reflections on the year thus far - Persevere in Positivity

2016 is off to a very interesting start. We've had quite a number of impactful deaths already: David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Umberto Eco, Harper Lee, Antonin Scalia, Dave Mirra and Angus Scrimm, to name a few.

While it's easy to get lost in the sadness, I'm simply grateful to be alive in a time when such remarkable people are alive. Every generation has its set of heroes and it's nice to keep in mind that, while our heroes may not last forever, new heroes are born every day.

We persevere. We celebrate. We live.

Every day is an opportunity for us to rise to the occasion. It may only take a moment.

That said, we don't need to be famous to make an impact in a person's life. Sometimes, the little interactions can have the greatest impact. Spread kindness and happiness, watch the world grow in a positive direction.

Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem review - Animated Metal Opera Done Right

I didn't regularly watch the show, but Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem is a highly enjoyable metal/rock opera. It has an excellent blend of both musical genres and art directions. While it's best to have someone familiar with the show provide some context (or perhaps find a video online), it's pretty easy to respect what they've done. It's probably the top-notch entry in its genre (animated metal opera). Great narrative themes, great visuals and great music.

Highly recommended.

Scott McCloud's The Sculptor review

I'm a bit conflicted on Scott McCloud's long-awaited graphic novel "The Sculptor," although it's probably actually disappointed. I respect the craftsmanship, artwork, vulnerability and love that went into the graphic novel, but the characters... Though they felt very real and human, they came across as selfish, immature and egotistical (as expected for people in early-mid 20s). I often wanted to slap some sense into them.

On the whole, while I like its overall message - that art is important and can change the world - to a certain extent, it's rather self-indulgent, but not necessarily enough to detract from the overall book. There are some cool ideas and very sweet moments in the book, I just didn't enjoy all of the choices, particularly with regards to the characters themselves.

Rating: Recommended. I enjoyed it more than Bryan Lee O'Malley's Seconds, which is similar in concept, but different in execution. Funny how both are about very talented selfish flawed people (borderline assholes).