Josheiserike.com – Josh's Comics & Writing Online

Screenshot of today’s six online op-eds:

Screen grab from today’s online edition. And that “Bernie Sanders” op-ed? Spoiler alert: it’s about Donald Trump.

“I have here a list of names of identified Muslims mutants living right here in the United States.”

— Senator Robert Kelly (FICTIONAL)

“There should be a lot of systems, beyond databases. We should have a lot of systems.”

— Donald Trump (REAL)

Systems, huh? Like what? These?

Because that worked out so well for everyone.

(and here’s more photoshop fun):

This looks like something I might like. Written and directed by Oscar winner Dean Pelton! (and his writing partner).

Standard annual disclaimer: Not the “best of” by any stretch of the imagination (because my “best” is sometimes your “worst”) but a list of 15 songs, arranged in order for maximum listening experience, that I enjoyed in 2011. (Oh, and I know “Young Blood” came out in late 2010 but I don’t work at a newspaper anymore and didn’t hear the song until this year. Deal with it).

Oh, and P.S.- I can’t believe I picked a Coldplay song either.

Read the rest of this entry �

Back when I was a reporter I had a weekly pop-culture column. If I was still writing, this week I’d be writing something like this:

I haven’t seen “Cars 2.” I’d like to, but I’m in no rush. It’s interesting though- this is Pixar’s first “rotten” movie, as certified on rottentomatoes.com. I’m curious—I hear its great (save from a friend with generally good tastes in movies, except for animated features—he thinks “Robin Hood” is “garbage” while “Pocohantas” is “brilliant”). Also, and this is purely anecdotal, it seems people were expecting—maybe even wanting—“Cars 2” to fail. I remember back when the first “Cars” came out a (different) friend said “I just can’t get behind a movie with talking cars.” That seemed to be the prevailing attitude back then—just as “Cars 2 will suck” seemed to be the attitude now.

Here’s the bottom line: Moreso than any of the Pixar movies “Cars” is completely devoid of any world that resembles our own. To many adults, this is disconcerting. A kid, on the other hand, doesn’t give a shit.

Think about it- every other Pixar movie is tangentially related to our world, whether about monsters in closets or a dystopian future. It’s all planet Earth. Except “Cars” and now “Cars 2.” Yeah, yeah—but people cared about talking toys, why not talking cars? Because, and this is important, those toys existed in our world. We can relate to the idea of “what if my childhood toys came to life while I was away?” We can get behind the idea of “what if there were superheroes living among us?” Interestingly enough, I remember some- not much- complaints about “a rat in a kitchen.” But that was still in our world and “Ratatouille” was great.

“Cars 2” is completely lacking in the “our world” human element and suffers from being a sequel released a year after another Pixar sequel. That’s two things stacked against it for adults. Plus, I think there’s some perverse satisfaction wanting Pixar to fail. No one has a record like that. NO ONE.  But, let me repeat myself—a kid doesn’t give a shit about any of that.

I’m hoping there’s a good story in “Cars 2.” That’s really all I care about.

Staff writer Josh Eiserike can no longer be reached at the News and Messenger. He is also no longer on staff.