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About C. A. Sanders

Hi, everyone. I am a semi-established writer of fiction and non-fiction. I live in Rockland County, NY, where I ply my trade and occasionally get paid for it. You can see my full website, with links to published work and my blog, at www.casanders.net

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and What DC Doesn’t Understand

Comic-Con season is the geekiest time of the year. Every day there’s a new thing to go nuts over. This time it’s Wonder Woman’s costume in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (the worst name ever).

I like it, and Gal Gadot looks great in it (what doesn’t she look great in?). I picture Wonder Woman as more muscular, but it’s not my movie, I’m not the casting director. Gadot brings star power, if a lack of acting chops (the awful Fast and the Furious Series doesn’t count) and star power brings in the Muggles who wouldn’t normally see a comic book movie. Gal Gadot is a model, not an actress, and that concerns me with how they’re going to write and direct Wonder Woman.

Dark WW is dark

Dark WW is dark

Notice that her costume has muted colors, similar to Superman and Batman in the previous movies. Does this mean that Batman v. Superman is going to be as dark and morally ambiguous as its predecessors? Probably, and that’s the problem. It’s like Snyder played DC: Injustice and suddenly thinks he understands what’s going on.

DC keeps going for these dark movies, and that’s not true to the characters. Yes, it worked for Batman (to an extent), but that’s because Batman is meant to be dark. Most comic heroes aren’t. Superman is not dark. He’s the paragon of all that’s good in the world (next to Captain Marvel). On an aside, I always thought it poetic that an alien is the best example for humanity.

This is not 300, and this is not Watchmen. Snyder does not understand the characters that he is trying to portray.

The Trollvengers

I love Wonder Woman. Not in a pervy fanboy kind of way, but as a character. She is one of the most complex characters in fiction, a blend of divine warrior, compassionate human, uncomfortable diplomat, and lonely, stoic outsider. She is impossible to portray correctly as a supporting character in this movie. I doubt that anyone could even get her right in her own movie, which is a shame, because someone should try.

I suggest that Snyder look to the old Justice League cartoon from the early 2000s. They had a firm grasp on the characters, mostly because it was actual comic book writers doing it. Dark movies do not equate to good movies. You only have to look at what Marvel is doing right to see what DC is doing wrong.

Like my blog? Check out my debut novel Song of Simon, from Damnation Books, or check out my free, completed webserial, The Watchmage of Old New York. Or just come back here again. I’m pretty damn awesome.

New Thor, New Captain America, and a Sinister Six Movie: Marvel and “Worthiness”

I’m a bit late to the party when it comes to the new Thor and Cap, but I have something to say about it. Both are about worthiness, and I think it’s something that needs to be explored. The Sinister Six movie, is about worthiness as well, but it a different manner. The idea of “worthiness” intrigues me, and it’s a theme I explore in Song of Simon, as well as other blog posts.

Thtop Being Thor About Thor

I’m sorry, I can’t stop using that Thor joke. It comes from a joke in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, and I’m a big dumb animal that repeats everything he hears.

A lot of what I hear from the haters is that Thor can’t be a woman because he’s a man. The truth is that he’s not a man, he’s a god. Donald Blake (the traditional Thor) is merely a vessel that the god inhabits. When Blake touched Mjolnir, the hammer deemed him worthy and the essence of the god inhabited him. This is not to say that Blake is completely repressed, a la a D & D Magic Jar spell. Blake’s humanity tempers Thor’s arrogance and impulsiveness.

The Joker agrees.

It’s this counterweight that means that the vessel has to be worthy. It doesn’t have to be a man. It doesn’t have to be a human. It only has to be a moral mortal. There is no reason that a woman can’t be the vessel for Thor.

It makes me a little sad that people were more accepting of a frog Thor than a woman Thor. Verily.

The Falcon as the New Captain America

Right now, Steve Rogers (Cap) had the super serum sucked out of him. He aged 60 years in a few moments. Obviously, he’s not fit to fight in that manner, and someone else has to take up the shield.

I know a few people that might be worthy of it. Hawkeye comes to mind. He was trained by Rogers, and as an Avenger, understands the responsibility of the costume and shield. The cons are that he has his own series, and that he doesn’t have the moral stance to stand up to Iron Man’s and Thor’s crushing egos, not to mention an unhinged Hulk.

They could give it back to Bucky, but Bucky’s involved in some shady stuff right now.

They could give it to Spider-Man, but Spidey has a dozen of his own imprints.

When it comes down to it, there’s no better choice than Sam Wilson, The Falcon. Sam also trained under Rogers and is one of Rogers’ true confidantes and partners. He’s been Cap in the past for a short while. He has the moral background to be the counterpoint to Iron Man and Thor. He currently has no imprint, so he’s free from a writer’s standpoint.

Get ready for “Falcon Shield Punch” memes

Plus, how cool will a flying Captain America be?

It makes no difference that he’s black, enough that I almost forgot to put that in. He’s a symbol of the best America has to offer. That’s the only requirement to be Captain America.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of racists (and sexists regarding Thor) that’ll flip out the way that they did when Peter Parker died and was replaced with Miles Morales. Their opinion doesn’t, and shouldn’t matter. Comics are about good and evil, and if you think that gender or race renders you ineligible, you don’t get comics or America.

The Sinister Six Movie: Redemption and Worthiness

Marvel just announced a Sinister Six movie. It’s due in November of 2016, and is supposed to be a redemption story of a sort. There’s no news beyond that, but I expect it to star guys like Doc Ock, Vulture, Rhino, and Mysterio. I’d rather not see Green Goblin in it, as there’s no redemption for him. Some other options are The Scorpion, Shocker, Kraven, and Sandman.

There are always villains that can be redeemed. Doc Ock has already been Spider-Man in the comics. Rhino is just a thug. Mysterio could easily turn his skills to do good. Vulture’s powers are kinda creepy, so I don’t know how they’d change him. Kraven lives for the hunt, which could make him a great hero.

Sinister, for now.

Spidey’s villains almost always have some sort of humanity within them. They aren’t a lost cause. I don’t mean that they’d be worthy of Mjolnir or Cap’s Shield, but not everyone can be a paladin.

I’m looking forward to these moves by Marvel. I think it’ll be an interesting few years ahead.

Study Links Memaid Sightings To Higher Inebriation Levels

I might have to go mermaid sighting when I get to Maine

Austin's avatarThe Return of the Modern Philosopher

mermaidsScientists from the University of Maine at Rockland’s prestigious Mythical Maritime Creatures Department have released a study that proves that people report more Mermaid sightings when they are inebriated.

The study, which was conducted from Memorial Day Weekend through the Independence Day Weekend is believed to be the first of its kind, and should serve as the benchmark in Mermaid Studies for years to come.

Dr. Allen Bauer, who heads up UMR’s Mythical Maritime Creatures Department, told this Modern Philosopher that the study was not only definitive, but also “a wicked good time”.

“We went out in the S.S. Ariel, which is the school’s research vessel, and cruised around areas off the coast of Maine that are known for Mermaid sightings,” Dr. Bauer explained.  “We especially concentrated on Mermaid’s Cove and the Rockland Breakwater Light, which are both well known for being hot spots of Mermaid activity.

The crew was…

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Yikes

I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I’ve posted a blog entry. I’m surprised because I’ve been pretty busy on the site, along with my facebook fan page and my other site devoted to wrestling.

As for this site, I added a few new categories. One is my collection of music history articles, which I’m going to tie in to Song of Simon. For those of you that have read the novel, you know how important music is thematically. It functions as a greek chorus of sorts. I love music, especially old blues and folk that you don’t hear much of anymore. Even my music is stuck in the past.

Right now there are two up, but I have a ton more. I meant to post one on “This Land Is Your Land” for Woody’s birthday yesterday, but I flaked.

Everyday I got the blues, even if I went back in time.

The second category is a collection of essays modified from my Creative Writing lesson plans. There’s only one up now, but more will come.

The third is on New York history, which ties directly into The Watchmage of Old New York. I don’t have any essays written yet, but I’m a fat, stinking, treasure trove of knowledge here.

It’s like a Russian Nesting Doll, only it smells like urine.

I don’t actually stink, and I’m considerably less fat than I was, but you get the picture.

Speaking of Watchmage, I’m still shopping around the first novel, and I’m revising the first ten chapters of the second, tentatively titled “Cold Iron.” For those of you that remember, this story arc in the serial was called “The Great Goblin Revolt.” The serial is still up, by the way, and still free.

Ok, that’s all for now. I’m off to play some Happy Wars.
–Craiggers

“The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” — Walt Whitman
Song of Simon from Damnation Books. Available on site, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local book store.
Visit my webpage. We have punch and pie…
Like Pro Wrestling? Visit my wrestling blog and podcast, The Jobbers Wrestling Review

Ridiculously Clever Jokes

SoS Practice Ad 2

Hmmm… It was recommended to me that I should narrow my focus if I want to promote better. Maybe I should narrow my focus on awful jokes.

These are awful, but really clever. No shame if you don’t understand all of them.

Here’s a sample:

“Who is this Rorschach guy, and why does he paint so many pictures of my parents fighting?”

A Roman walks into a bar and asks for a Martinus. “You mean a martini?” the bartender asks. The Roman replies, “If I wanted a double, I would have asked for it!”

How can you tell the difference between a chemist and a plumber? Ask them to pronounce “unionized.”

Yeah, it’s that kind of stuff.

the-watchmage-is-coming1

guinea pig card

NYC Gay Pride Parade is Tomorrow!

I’m so excited! I’m going to the Gay Pride Parade for the first time tomorrow. It’s gonna be FABuloussssssss!!!

I can’t help but think how much Val would’ve loved this (though I bet she used to go all the time back in the day). I would’ve loved to make this a tradition for us. Sigh. I’ll be sure to catch some beads for her.

Next time I go to the city, I need to hit up the Big Gay Ice Cream store/truck.

Predictions for WWE’s Money In the Bank 2014

My predictions for Money in the Bank. Plus, a lot of funny memes

C. A. Sanders's avatarThe Jobbers Wrestling Review

Hey all, it’s Craiggers. It’s been a while, as I’ve been torn between working on my current novel and enjoying the summer. The best thing about writing is that you can take to the road and still do it.

I’m expecting a mediocre PPV tomorrow. Ladder matches are always fun, but there’s nothing compelling on the undercard. Creative is still in scramble mode because of the Bryan injury. They’ve covered up well enough, but it’s been the matches that are carrying the product right now.

Anyway, on to the predictions:

Big E vs Rusev I am very excited for this feud. Their match at Payback was great, and if you read this blog, you know that I’ve been calling for a full on feud. Both men are big but can work. Rusev has a lot of heat (mostly due to Lana and real-life politics) but Big E has a ton…

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Till We Outnumber ’em: A tale by Woody Guthrie, Retold (poorly) by Me

Two rabbits were chased though the woods by a pack of fierce bloodhounds. They ran and they ran, finally taking shelter in a hollow log. The hounds surrounded them and barked. They stuck their snouts in the log, baring their teeth, but couldn’t reach the rabbits.

The first rabbit shivered in fear. He said to the other, “What do we do?”

The second one, she stayed calm. “Don’t worry. We’ll just stay in here till we outnumber ’em.”

This machine kills fascists.