King of Pain # 2 Teaser

Ooh... What's going on here?

*Art by Sam Rodriguez

Copyright: Nicholas James West 2009; All Rights Reserved

A "New" Beatles Song

I've been a Beatles fan as far back as I can remember. I have the White Album, Abbey Road, Magical Mystery Tour, and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band memorized through and through.

Somehow I didn't know this song existed until a few days ago.

It first appeared on the Yellow Submarine album; which I had a recording of as a kid, but somehow this song didn't make it to my copy of the tape.

So bonus! I get to enjoy a "new" song by one of my favorite bands.

Zombies: A Distaste and Dichotomy

I am sick of zombies. Sorry fanboys. I don't pick up any of the thirty-seven-million zombie comics that come out each month. (I do buy the Walking Dead trades for my little brother, but I haven't read them past volume two or so.)

As a matter of fact I have a maxim for my superhero world: "No Nazis, zombies, or gratuitous resurrections." (Hold me to it people!)

You're breaking all my rules!

Zombies seem cliche, boring, and generally overused.

One might say, "Nicholas how can you hate zombies for being cliche when superheroes have definitely worn out their welcome?"

A couple of things:

Firstly, hats off to the talented people who have popularized zombies. I'm talking about George A Romero, Danny Boyle, Robert Kirkman, Edgar Wright, and Capcom. I have enjoyed many works of art that happen to include the flesh-eating undead.

Secondly, this is my opinion and mine only. I'm burned out on zombies, but I haven't reached that threshold with superheroes. Perhaps it has something to do with their mythic qualities. I see Superman and co. as more than twentieth century antiques. I see men in capes as an extension of the "monomyth." Superheroes, to me, are a part of the transcendent hero's journey that all human beings share in some way or another.

Zombies on the other hand, I just don't get.

Until last weekend.

I was talking about some script ideas and character development with my brother Christopher. Afterwards he made a remark that is so simple and true— yet somehow I had missed it before.

"Zombies justify our need for violence."

You see it's okay to kill zombies. THEY NEED TO BE KILLED right? So (dichotomy time) when I was playing Resident Evil 4 (and loving every minute of it); and my wife said to me "Honey, this is so violent." My reply was always, "But the zombies need to be killed darling. Somebody has to do it!"

I was justifying my need for violence.

Okay zombies, I get your appeal.

But I'm still burned out.

In the FACE!