Deadpool 2 ((NO SPOILERS))

Antho got us tickets to see DP2 the first day we could go see it.... With the 7:20pm tickets in our possession, we went about the necessary nonsense of our day before walking our happy butts up to the Eclipse theater in Downtown Las Vegas. Thank the gratuitous advertising machines that are the entertainment industry, because even with our arrival being about 10 minutes behind the original "start" time, there were still ample previews and plenty of lighting available when we got into the theater. The Eclipse theater, by the way, is extra-fancy in that not only does it offer big cushioned reclining chairs to kick up your feet in, but you get a menu and in-theater service should you choose to take it. One guy in our theater got multiple beers throughout the film, and other's were getting sliders or nachos to nom on. Yes, you can in fact order cocktails to enjoy while watching DP 2. They missed an opportunity by not serving chimichangas, but so it goes. We, being artists of a moderate income, opted out of the $12 cocktails and $17 snacks, at least this time through, but they're definitely there should you want them. The servers are clad all in black and have pathways they navigate through during the film so as to be minimally invasive, but it's still a tad bit distracting in the midst of the action.

Shortly after our arrival, the lights went dim and we were on our way into the messy, raunchy, silly mess that is Deadpool 2. 

And don't get me wrong- I loved the first of this installation of Deadpool! I loved it so much I went for it and recreated Negasonic Teenaged Warhead's hairstyle, for crying out loud.  This two-films-so-far franchise has vastly outranked it's horrifying X-Men Origins bastard cousin, and is a fun ride all around. 

The problem is, can they cover any new ground? With a film like Deadpool, which was so groundbreaking upon its release (OMG,  a superhero movie that breaks the 4th wall! has an R-rating!), they're going to be confronting a lot of expectations. If it's too similar, fans will (maybe) hate it for being derivative,  because if it's not Star Wars that's not acceptable. If it charts whole new ground and veers into uncharted territory, leaving familiar faces and arcs behind, people will flip their shit, too. It really seems a difficult situation for the film-makers, who, ideally, just want to make a movie that's true-ish-enough-to-the-character-of-the-comic-book incarnation of the Merc with a Mouth. In the end, of course, it's all about money...but let's (try to) be positive here!

What we end up with is something that feels similar, has a lot of familiar faces, with some fun new additions and some shocking new developments. It's decidedly more fun than Infinity War, if not solely because I don't feel like I need therapy after watching it. I laughed. I cried. But I didn't feel particularly blown-away. This was, for the most part, familiar terrain. There were some new jokes and situations thrown in that made me literally laugh-out-loud and guffaw, but for the most part it felt like the movie version of slipping into that ratty old robe with the weird stains that you've grown comfortable with and loved for a while but aren't entirely sure why you still subject your naked and unprotected flesh to it's embrace time after time. The new ground was gratifying, but not mind-melting if you've got a cursory familiarity with the backstory. 

I didn't hate it. In fact, it was kind of fun. 

Did it break whole-new-ground and make me cream my pants with the sheer amazeballs of it? Nah. But it entertained and kept the spirit of the prior installation well enough. I think the inconsistency with the behind-the-scenes situation does come through to an extent, but that could be the result of the overall inconsistent tone of the movie. It hammers on some heavy topics, but it's in Deadpool's irreverent style so it can feel a little jarring at times, perhaps. We watched the first movie prior to seeing this one, and it was a noticeable change in tone. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's noticeable. I definitely felt like there was more of an intentional "take-home" message from this one. 

Overall, I'll be seeing it again. It's not the worst thing I've seen this year, and there were definitely some funny moments worth revisiting. 

Cheers.

💖

XOXO,

NAU

Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con 2016 Day 2

Day Two of the Amazing Las Vegas Comic con was even more lively with additional cosplayers, vendors, speakers, and more to be seen with the weekend allowing more people the chance to escape reality (and work) to attend. There were even a pair of tyrannosaurus rex romping around, terrifying and amusing people as they flailed their tiny arms about and brought all sorts of fresh new chaos from the cretaceous, as the grand beasts have a tendency to do (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C, exhibit D) . Creativity in all it's forms was on proud display with an outstanding array of costumes and creations to be seen. It was a lot of fun and great to see so many people coming out and sharing their love for their fandom! Whether you're a fan of DC, Marvel, Star Wars, gaming or cartoons there really was something for everyone which was lovely to see given how divisive some fans can get. 

While I understand being enthusiastic about your particular obsession of choice, I personally don't really understand the DC/Marvel hate, or the Trekkies vs Star Wars type wars that go on. I like all of them! Each franchise has their own unique and enjoyable aspects to bring to the table, whether it be DC's excellent television franchise (oh, Barry Allen, quit futzing with the timeline, you loveable rascal!), Marvel's grand cinematic universe, Star Wars's epic lore and expansive  universe, or Star Trek's optimistic vision for humanity's future and tales of comradery, challenge and cooperation. You're allowed to like them all, or none of them, for your own reasons- just don't be a jerk, man. Luckily, this event I did not encounter any fanboy-supremes who piss all over anything outside their particular fandom of choice and the peaceful interactions and enthusiastic acceptance of eachother's fan-love is a huge attraction to the event. I mean, seriously, no one really wants to be that guy from the Simpsons, right?

Among the peaceful and happy attendees there were ample collectibles to be had, from rare Funko Pops to ultra rare Spider-man comics! While hanging out with the wonderful crew of Critical Care Comics, someone donated this rare issue of Spider-man much to the shock and awe of the group. This one comic alone was worth $300 at the time and is probably worth more than that now, given the amount of time that's passed since the event and how rarity tends to go. I could be wrong, of course, as I was more the Pokemon card collecting kid and much of my collection didn't really appreciate in value, so my understanding of these things may be limited.   

Vegas: Zappos Fandom Friday 2016-03-25

On Friday, March 25th I was lucky enough to participate in Zappos Fandom Friday event! Zappos, for those not in the know, is an online retailer based in my quaint little home town of Las Vegas, Nevada. On top of being a successful company that ranks as one of the best in country to work for,  Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh has taken a very active role in helping to revitalise downtown Las Vegas, leading the way in it's resurgence as a popular tourist & local hipster destination. And yes, if you read the Wired article I linked there, it's true; there is a giant praying mantis that shoot fire in Downtown Vegas, located in front of the Downtown Container Park. Thanks, Tony.

As a participating artist/vendor at the event, I got to hang out in their lobby area and partake in all the nerdy goodness afoot! There were many super talented artists, groovy vendors, cosplayers, banging DJs, and even some llamas. 

Yes, llamas.

Gosh they're cute! 

And really, it was a very cool event to attend. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first ever Fandom Friday thanks in no small part to Rogue Toys! Rogue Toys partnered with Zappos to get the gears rolling on this event and I'm so grateful they did. It's always great seeing new opportunities and events pop up for the artistic community in this city! And what a fun event this was; there were dancing storm troopers, amazing cosplay, fantastic original art, live performances by Decaying Tigers, arcades games free to play, food trucks, and fun and games for all involved!

I came out with some limited edition Batman Vs. Superman prints in honour of the new movie. Have you seen it? Antho and I had already watched it by the time I went to the event, but I made sure not to give away any spoilers...but I didn't really get much opportunity as almost everyone I asked about the movie admitted to being less than excited to see it...womp womp. 

Even so, I managed to sell a few of the prints. ^_^ I'm thinking of putting them up on Etsy, but I have a few Superhero events left here in town first so I'll see how they do. The nice thing about prints is once they're made you have them, so even if I didn't sell out of them at the event I'm glad to have gone! 

How often do you get to encounter random llamas or dancing Storm Troopers, after all?

This is going to be an image heavy post, so be forewarned ye of sluggish internet!!

Also, if you see yourself or anyone you know and want me to include their name or remove photos, please contact me ASAP and I'll be happy to oblige!