Oh crickey... Oh crumbs...

That's a wrap, Mr. Hall. Thanks for all the hard work!

A little over a week ago, the world of animation lost one of the great creators, Mark Hall; who gave us Danger Mouse - the story of a one eyed white mouse in a white jump suit who, living at a mailbox at 221b Baker street, fought evil with his bumbling side kick Penfold.

What? It was the eighties, for crying out loud.

Many were the afternoons I would hurry home from school to catch the zany antics of this pair as they fought a host of diabolical megalomaniacs, such as Silas Greenback and Count Duckula. Dispatched by Colonel K, the pair would gallivant the world to protect it from evil. 

Anyway, anyone who is in the know has obviously connected this wonderful gem from my childhood to its modern day tribute in my car, The Dangermouse; the story of how it earned its name is legend among my friends.

So, thank you Mark Hall; wherever you may be. I never met you, but your cartoon lives on in me... and my car.

New comic Friday!

IronChuck learns the horrid truth - 

size really does matter -

in today's installment of Stuff

from Neverland Transit Authority.

First Look! Intergalactic Pub Crawl Team badge 2012

It is with great pleasure that I am proud to reveal this first draft of 2012's badge for the infamous
Intergalactic Pub Crawl Team!

For those of you new to Neverland Transit Authority, or it's premiere title Galactic Gun: The Adventures of Justin Bailey, the IPCT is the in canon fan club. Each year we feature a new design for that year.

Membership into the club is, currently, free for the asking and gets you a cameo into any and every bar scene in the comic. As NTA Comics grows, so will the benefits of membership into this exclusive club.

This desgin will be available starting the end of December. So, how do you go about getting one? Simply ask.

To boldly go...

Big thanks to Free Thinker for the image!

Well, to tell the truth, there is still some small parts of the planet left to explore. We still don't have a complete map of the ocean floors, for example. And, to date, no one has traversed the entire floor of the Amazon rain forest basin.

But, those might as much be trivial, when compared to the task at hand of exploring our condition; that is, to say, being a human being - especially in the light of the progress on the twenty first century.

Make no mistake, this is a huge span to cross, indeed. If we, as a collective peoples, plan to, or even care to, leave a future for coming generations to, in fact, explore the Cosmos. For me, I think, the biggest challenge seems to get people over the terrifying notion of a huge, empty, pointless universe, to see pass this perceived notion of self importance - that we obviously MUST be here for some reason - and except... no, embrace the concept of a vast cosmos not as a desolate waste, but as an invitation to discover, grow, learn, and become.

Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Holy Terrible...




 

I had a whole host of things I thought I wanted to say

 about Frank Miller 's latest, vacuous rant.

Richard Pace not only beat me to it, but did it so much better.

Caught in a bad Chinese choir.

Wait for it... wait for it...

IronChuck on Comics...

Recently I was interviewed for a research project from a local university. Below are the questions and my answers; which I, and the researcher, thought it'd be good to share...

1) How (or Why) did comics become the cultural influence they are today?

I’m pretty sure there are many layers to this answer. However, I think, for me, the one that stands out the most has got to be how the generation, known as “X”, came of age wielding more money and flexing more cultural power with it than the Baby Boomers before them. And, while the Baby Boomers felt compelled to put aside childhood heroes and past times in the pursuit of money and things, Gen Xers, by contrast, held faster to nostalgia. Of course, when your childhood is filled with cars that turn into robots, colorful and fantastic army men, pastry themed girl adventures, and barbarian landscapes all complete with life lesson morals – pushing hard into the recently discovered child commercial demographic, it’s not hard to see how this cemented itself deep into our the personal identities.

And, whether it has anything to do with the hard market blurring of cartoon and long run time commercial (The controversy so heated that parents groups sued, and won, to keep properties such as GI Joe, Rainbow Bite, Transformers, and others from running toy commercials during their corresponding cartoon timeslot.), or that the period of the 1980’s contained so many generational specific icons the likes that had never been seen before, or since, I can’t be sure. (Or, even if they are, somehow, symbiotic.) I can say, though, that comics, already deeply entrenched in their own cultural niches, were able to ride this tide effectively.

When the retro movement, of the past decade, hit full swing, the properties of the Xers were a natural choice. And, of course, comics were at the forefront of this. Good marketing slapped childhood heroes like Optimus Prime, Strawberry Shortcake, and other afternoon heroes on t-shirts, hoodies, and any other merchandise that could hold a trademarked logo. None were as ready to go as the calling symbols of Marvel and DC heavy hitters.

In a nutshell, they’re marketable to the largest commercial demographic in today’s society; a demographic willing to spend big to recapture its youth. Add to that the emergence of social, and other connective media technology that can reach fans, as well as sell the next coming group on our nostalgia, and it’s pretty much a no brainer.

Not that I don’t think these icons aren’t deserving of such a place in modern culture, mind you.

2) Why does the subject matter of super heroes and more-than-human characters have such a massive hold on the American psyche?

I’m pretty sure a good chunk of it has a lot to do with pure escapism. Just the idea of being more than ordinary has real appeal to readers of almost any normal background. The chance to be larger than life, bigger than consequences, or to move on scales more vast than the average cube jock or burger flipper would ever see.

Super heroes also have the unique position of being able to directly confront the issues, villains, and other assorted trouble, usually, head on in many, if not most, cases. The idea of confronting a criminal, a bully, or a perceived political menace one to one, without being marred by rhetoric, red tape, or the other various smoke and mirror tricks of our day and age, is a powerful fantasy. Nowhere was this best illustrated than the now infamous cover of Captain America in Captain America #1 (March 1941 published by then Timely Comics) were Cap plants a right cross to the chin of Hitler.

Introduced in May of 1939, by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in Detective Comics #27, Batman – based off of the hero Zorro – struck from the shadows to induce fear into the hearts who, in turn, were doing as much to the citizens of Gotham City; the thinly veiled metaphor for New York, and the then dark, violet crime ridden, corrupt place it had become. Meanwhile, before joining the fight against the Nazi, Superman fought as a social avenger for the little guy, in Metropolis; another, more upbeat metaphor for New York.

Characters like Spiderman and The X-Men had a different appeal, in that they showed the other side of being unique; feared, ostracized, and persecuted. This resonated with adolescent readers who understood how tough it was to be an outsider growing up in clique driven public school system. And yet, though hated and feared, both Spiderman, and the assorted cast of Professor Xavier’s school for the gifted, manage to rise above it to save the day; though not always with such a happy ending.

And then there is, in respect to vigilantes like Batman and Spiderman, the American spirit of taking matters into your own hands, bucking the system, and doing what, at the time, may be considered to be “the right thing”. This is something that, for better or worse, runs all the way back, through post WW2, the old west, and into the mythos of the American Revolution.

3) Where do you see the comics industry going in the next 5/10 years?

It’s been interesting, in regards to the direction of the industry. Back in the 1980’s comics saw a huge resurgence, putting it the map and creating a forecast to take a place in the pantheon of more traditional, well respected media. Specialty shops cropped up everywhere, conventions packed hotels and halls, Superman had, in 1979, hit the box office by storm. Writing had moved out of camp and into serious issues like drug addiction and racism (Which had already begun back in the mid 70’s.), and even the very nature of the stories and art had moved to a darker, more serious and mature tone; pushing the boundaries of the then all mighty Comic Code Authority. And, at the top of the 1990’s, technology came knocking, with promises of digital comics and limitless horizons ahead.

Then, suddenly, the bottom of the market fell out; a collapse driven by market speculation and bogus trade values created by an artificially inflated hype based market industry. Digital comics, the promise of a brave, new world, turned out to be a fizzle of just difficult to navigate pages stored on CD-roms. Comics slumped back to nearly the lows of the pre-revolutionary levels of the early 1970’s; when such greats as Lee, Steranko, O’Neil, and others, breathed life into the flounder realm of comics’ untapped potential with more mature stories, and artful, engaging lay out and art.

However, about the same time, the new technological marvel, The Internet, was coming into its own. As its ability to deliver information, graphics, and other media grew, a wave of amateur creators, and hopeful wannabes flooded the new outlet in hopes to capitalize where there had been no previous avenue. Many, like myself, had worked hard to try and deliver alternative stories and styles only to be rejected by superhero obsessed industry giants; despite the popularity of alternative pressed cropping up, thanks to revolutions in small, and on-demand, printing.

The growing popularity of web based comics and one off printing has created an alternative scene that could never been even perceived even just ten short years ago. And, since the mid 1990’s, creators like Scott McCloud (Zot, Understanding Comics) and Charles Parker (Argon Zark) have pushed the limits of the very term “comics” by introducing web based transitions and imbedded effects that have been embraced by other, adventurous creators. Again, another development that could not have been predicted just a couple short years previous.

Comics have always managed to hang on and grow with the changing tides of technology and social acceptance; tackling issues of the day, and appealing to new readerships just coming of age generally in ways that no one expected. I don’t doubt that that will continue to be the case going into the next decade. I can say, however, with much conviction, that no matter what will come, the actual, physical experience of a book in the hand, married with pacing by the mail box, or rushing off to new comic day at the book store, will never go away. As pointed out by the great Stan Lee, himself; the whole comic experience is far too engrained into the now global culture to abandon the visceral experience of paper in hand with page corner pinched and primed for the next exciting turn.

Bonus round: How do you see the relation between classical myths (Ulysses, Hercules, Norse Gods, Christianity, etc...) and the "New Pantheon" of mythical figures created by the comics world? (Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, X-Men, etc...)

Drawing parallels between the two can be tricky. There are, after all, Herculean aspects to Superman (Demi god like, great feats, strength, etc.) as much as there are Biblical Moses one (Orphaned and set adrift, raised by foster parents, does amazing feats as miracles, etc.). And, while mythical gods are, more times than not, born out of the metaphoric explanations of mysteries forces, it could be argued the same about the powers and abilities of, say Spiderman, The Hulk, or The Fantastic Four. (The Four actually borrow a lot from Asian mythos; Wind, fire, Earth, and air – with Doom as the fifth element , metal, that combines the other four.) In many cases, altered humans have been forged of the mysterious forces of science tampering with nature. This has been a common motif in a lot of early, and contemporary, Science Fiction, to begin with.

Then you get into the places where mythical characters from Norse, Asian, Christian, and one off Pagan religions are actually characters within the comics, themselves; running alongside their contemporary counterparts in many cases.

DC Comics does an interesting idea of tracking the idea of Superhero as mythical god in The New Gods. Beings so advanced that, to the commoner, appear as great mystical power. Penned, originally, by Jack Kirby, who also created the afore mentioned title Fantastic Four, and later, upon returning to Marvel, the Elementals, had a large fascination with this concept.

The flip side to super heroes among us is explored in the series The Authority, published by Wildstorm Press; part of the DC Comics break off houses. In it, a group of various empowered “heroes”, living in a ship fortress above Earth, try their best to dish out help to those in need. But when that begins to trample on the questionable practices of certain government interests, The Authority – who bare a suspicious resemblance to another, well known, super hero group, cross a line and become, in effect, the new gods of Earth; dishing out justice as they see fit, meddling in government affairs, and setting themselves some pretty powerful enemies. Eventually, though, the team losses itself in the idea of the self-appointed guardian role; compromising themselves to their new image, and taking them down a darker path.

Traditionally superheroes have served as an extension of our need and fantasies for a savior to deliver the ultimate defeat. Someone, or thing, that is greater than the troubles plaguing any religious, racial, political, or social group. The hero, or heroes, will stand up for that group, fight their oppressors, force retributions, or defend the ascribed way of life. In many ways, this is also the role of patron saints, spirit guardians, and even gods, themselves, within religions. They move above the common man - quite literally, in some cases, and possess might, understanding, or other attributes, not in the hands of their common followers. They are, much like a god figure, bigger than us, and bring comfort in the fact that they watch over us.

BONUS Bonus round: Most of the "big DC books" are about singular heroes (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, etc....multiple characters, one star for each book), a much higher percentage of "Big Marvel Books" are about teams. (Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men, etc...) Does this mean anything? If so, what?

I’ve heard it said, once, that DC characters were much like the adults in the comics world; who teach morals, tell you to obey your parents, and eat your veggies. While Marvel characters, in turn, are the guys you see in the halls of your school, at the store, or working on their car in the garage, next store.

Primarily, heroes in the DC universe have been, for the most part, accepted by the citizens that live there. Superman is the champion of many countries. Batman cleans up city streets. The Green Lanterns enforce a cosmic justice system. Countries call on them against alien attack. Police look to them when things get too hairy for a beat cop. Some even serve dual roles; sharing both hero status, as well as rank within military, or other, government service. (With noted exceptions, of course.)

In the Marvel universe, mutants – the backbone of the various franchises- are feared and despised for what they are, and what they’re perceived to represent to the citizens of that particular world; despite their general want to defend regular people from crime, and arrant mutants bent on world domination. They band together, and pool their forces because they operate in a world hostile to their, otherwise, good intentions. (With noted exceptions, of course.)

Personally, I’m not sure where, and how, this divergence began. It’s quite possible that, being first, and having characters established with older American values, DC characters tend to be flags attached to tights; fighting crusades for justice. Conversely, being born out of the more turbulent era of the sixties, Marvel characters tend to find themselves at the forefront of political and social change; illustrated ever so well by Captain America re-emerging back into society after having been frozen for twenty years, to find himself at odds with his values versus the upheaval in America all around him – from both his government, and its people.

The fact that Batman gets silent respect and fear from Gotham police, while New York has an arrest warrant out for Spiderman does say a lot…

A World Wide Web of lies...

PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

One thing we should never do is strangle freedom in the name of security. Ironic, I guess, since that's exactly what the United States government is doing, slowly but surely, to its people. The other thing we should never do is cow out to money; it won't provide us any security, either - regardless of what money tells you.

And when politics and money get together? Yeah, watch out; there goes more freedoms. 

Don't be fooled by the rhetoric. This is nothing more than a joint grab for power by the RIAA and connected politicians. The only thing that can benefit from this is increased censorship and the ruling class' ability to shut down public discourse, protest, and progress. 

As stated, there are already plenty of tools at the industry's disposal to combat the real problems of piracy. Not to mention it's all of our responsibility, as well, to be honest and do our part against piracy, as well.

Please, take a stand for freedom against more corporate greed. Read up, know, and protect our free speech and our future.

* Neverland Transit Authority supports free enterprise, fair markets, creators rights, the freedom of speech, and the right to assemble peacfully. We, however, DO NOT support piracy, and recognize its damaging effects on our industries, profits, and ablitiy to deliver quality to the consumers.

Gettin' back on track!

Okay, sure; maybe I'm biased, just a little. Okay, okay; I'm biased a lot.

However, this does make massive amounts of practical sense. You see, pictured above are five countries that have rail systems that link their country, and others, all over Europe and Asia. At the fast and comfortable speeds these trains travel at - with impeccable safety, I might add - a train pass can take you over nearly the whole of the continent in a matter of a couple days.

Meanwhile, if I wanted to, say, take a train from San Francisco to Los Angeles -
a trip any of these trains can make in an hour -
 it would take me nearly an entire day.
And that's not so much because the service is slow
as to actually find that service.

Look, before we get all Ayn Rand here, we need to accept a few things. And first, and foremost, in this crazy economy, is that, when everything is as tight and desperate as it has gotten, the call to limit government to an extreme is ridiculous when government has become the primary customer who, through spending on infrastructure, can revitalize our nation.

That, and we'll get some really cool new trains, too! Just sayin'...

Iconic, no?

Blo0p has been working hard on the creating posters of Superheroes, trying to capture them iconicaly.

I don't know, think he nailed it?

Do, or Do Not... there is no spoon!

In his new book, "God, no!", Penn Jillette, of Penn & Teller fame, recounts how he was challenged by radio host Glenn Beck to write down, what he called, an atheist's ten commandments. How did he do? Well...

1. The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity
and love. Respect these above all.

2. Do not put things or even ideas
above other human beings.

(Let's scream at each other about Kindle versus iPad, solar versus nuclear, Republican versus Libertarian, Garth Brooks versus Sun Ra— but when your house is on fire, I'll be there to help.)

3. Say what you mean, even when talking to yourself.

(What used to be an oath to (G)od is now quite simply respecting yourself.)

4. Put aside some time to rest and think.

(If you're religious, that might be the Sabbath; if you're a Vegas magician,

 that'll be the day with the lowest grosses.)

5. Be there for your family. Love your parents,

your partner, and your children.

(Love is deeper than honor, and parents matter,

but so do spouse and children.)

6. Respect and protect all human life.

(Many believe that "Thou shalt not kill" only refers

to people in the same tribe. I say it's all human life.)

7. Keep your promises.

(If you can't be sexually exclusive to your spouse, don't make that deal.)

8. Don't steal.

(This includes magic tricks and jokes — you know who you are!)

9. Don't lie.

(You know, unless you're doing magic tricks and it's part of your job.

Does that make it OK for politicians, too?)

10. Don't waste too much time wishing, hoping, and being envious;

it'll make you bugnutty.

Of his list, Penn says; "I wanted to see how many of the ideas that many people think are handed down from (G)od really make sense to someone who says, 'I don't know.'"

New Comic Thursday!!!

Stuff gets all meme-y, today at

Neverland Transit Authority.

Facepalm...

Not quite exactly what it means...

First Peek! Stop, Look, Listen! The best of Station House Radio.



Cover design by Charlie Irons

 And here we have it; the first mock-up for our end of year musical collection: Stop, Look, Listen!

It's not a lie to say that, in many ways big and small, music has been a huge influence on me and the titles I write. Why, whole story arcs have turned on a mere tune, from time to time; not to mention the fate of some characters.

But, more than that, music is that magical language that speaks to us in so many ways, binding us through common feelings, thoughts, and experiences.

We, here at Neverland Transit Authority, are always in a hunt for music outside the range of the charts; new, fresh, independent music. True music, crossing a veritable landscape of genres. Not only does this play at Grand Central's emerging "Station House Radio", but we also want to share these finds with you, our loyal riding patrons.

Stop, Look, Listen! will be available starting December of 2011; featuring some of the best discoveries of the past year. Not everything will have been a release of this past year, mind you, but added to our libraries this past year.

We look forward to sharing these treasures with you.