A Butlerian future?

Two days ago on June 25th, was the born day for George Orwell, the author of the classics Animal Farm and 1984. It's unfortunate that this was glossed over in the mainstream media even though HR 6034 FISA Amendment Act of 2008 was just passed last Friday. I remember way back in 1983, when the mainstream media made a big hoopla about the book “1984.” Most people balked at the idea of an Orwellian society. Many assumed that Orwell was discussing a future where Stalin like dictators ruled the world. Contrary to popular belief in 2008, there are Stalin like dictators who run several countries (Zimbabwe, North Korea, etc.).

In the United States, things are much different. Yet lately, our economy has hit a low. Food and gas prices have skyrocketed to prices that have not been seen in decades. The 1973 oil crisis was not as bad. Next winter, people will see gas bills for heating their homes to double. Economists claim that there will be another 1.5 million foreclosures in the next 18 months. Some are afraid that more and more companies will continue to lay off their employees as more of them move overseas or try to cover the rising prices of food. Gun violence is beginning to have another upsurge. Gangs continue to plague communities throughout the nation.

All of these things seem to place us teetering at the edge. It reminds me of Octavia Butler's “Parable of the Talents.” It is set in the year 2025 and things are much worse than we have it now. However, it all sprung from the situation we see ourselves in now. The suffering economy, loss of jobs, lawlessness, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, etc. It's scary to think of it that way. I don't mean to scare folks just wanted to point that out.

Maybe Butler was warning us. She also saw the potential in humanity to uplift itself. Of course like the characters in the story, we have to find the solutions within ourselves. We can expect some wanna be deity save us from all this. Like Butler's story, there is hope but we have to work at it. That's the part I took away from her stories.

If anything, I encourage my readers to check out her stuff. You won't be disappointed.

A few more fan films

because I love you.

SW fans never cease to amaze me. Every day or so, I might run into a fan film. I have not provided you readers with treats, I apologize for that. Here are a few:



The lighting could be better, but the concept is pretty funny. They mix SW lore with American Chopper. Sort of a little red necky (is that a work) but i think it works.

A fav of mine is really a documentary (gotta love those docs). It's pretty good and the producer of the film has done several interviews. All pretty good.



and a little short for all of you ewok and gospel music fans,



Enjoy

The Ultimates

Why I dig the Ultimates...(Avengers, that is)

As many of you may know, I am very, very afraid of movie adaptation of comic books. Some of you may also know that coming up as a youngblood, I was a huge Marvel head. I just couldn't get with DC comics (That was until Dwayne McDuffie came alone... he pretty much singlehandedly returned me back to the world of comic book-dom). If you were to read my other blog, you would learn that I am a huge fan of Captain America. Yes, my Pan Africanist tail loves me some Captain America.

The huge bumrush of the Mutant-palooza made me stop reading titles such as the Avengers and Captain America since the better writers were used for the mutant based comic books (Again, I have to thank folks like Joe Quesada for taking Marvel into the direction the New Avengers have been going as well as the Civil War series – big up to Billie Wheelz for that). When Marvel did the Ultimates universe, I was not really impressed. I did however, dig the Ultimate Avengers which was written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Bryan Hitch. I enjoyed how they redid Captain America, the Pyms, Thor, Hulk, Betsy Ross, S.H.I.E.L.D. (yes they got rid of those tight suits), Hawkeye, the Black Widow, and yes Nick Fury.

They made Nick Fury a black man! Now, don't get me wrong I dug the original Nick Fury despite the tight outfits. I really just can't take a super secret government agency trying to arrest cats while wearing tight suits.

Marvel took it a bit further and did two made for DVD release movies, Ultimate Avengers I and II. The second DVD focused on the Black Panther and the African country of Wakanda. It can't get any better than that. Love it, man.

Had to get that off my chest.

Keeping Up With The Jones

Omi's Note: Tony Muhammed, an educator and Dj from Florida had some pretty interesting things to say about the Indiana JOnes promo on BET's 106 and park. To be honest, I have only seen one episode of that teeny bopper show in my entire life (what ever happened to Teen summit?). But check it out. the link is below. Let me know what you think. (big up to Davey D for this).

Keeping Up With the Joneses: BET and the Subliminal Culture of White Supremacy

By Bro.
Tony Muhammad
Hiphopeducator19@gmail.com
www. myspace.com/tonymuhammad

Since Viacom bought out Black Entertainment Television (BET) my attention towards the cable channel's programming has diminished to a crawl. I noticed several years ago how as soon as the take over was complete the changes became obvious.
Conscientious talk show host Tavis Smiley was immediately fired from BET Tonight and replaced by the non-threatening Ed Gordon, ultimately doing away with the late night news segment altogether. At the same time, Rap City seemed to have all of a sudden lost its edge on bridging the gaps between the old, new and true schools in Hip Hop.
The predominant images in Hip Hop, especially on the famed 106 and Park became increasingly trendy; which actually meant more sexist, savagely stereotypical and violently vulgar. Alienated, I like many other conscientious loyal viewers made the decision to tune out. With the exception of special eye catching programs such as the Hip Hop Verses America panel series that aired last year, the only updates I would receive about what was shown on BET came through my students.


Flash forward to May 20th, 2008. It was late afternoon. A very close friend of mine who happens to be a pioneer in the music industry was visiting from out of town. He was flipping through channels on my living room television set and just so happened to land on BET. He quickly called me over to pay special attention to what was taking place on the screen. The first obvious thing I noticed was that this was a special 106 and Park show, promoting the release of the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The first thought that came to my mind was that this was rather unusual, considering that all of the main characters in the film are white.
This is Black Entertainment Television after all right??? Not only this but the main character himself, Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford, is supposed to be a famous anthropologist who is on a life-long journey to explore non-Western lands for precious treasures, which in his mind should be placed on display in Western (European) museums.

Co-host Terrence J was wearing an Indiana Jones get up on the show; brown leather jacket, brimmed hat and all. The show was airing live from the Magic Johnson movie theatre in what was once known as the Mecca of Black intellectualism and culture; Harlem, New York. Today, Harlem's population has been "whitewashed" as a result of rabid gentrification efforts. I automatically started making these connections in my mind and became concerned yet interested to see more.
I then noticed two pillars, one on either side of the set, reminiscent of ancient Egypt (Kemit), which according to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was one of the last greatest Black civilizations on Earth. It quickly dawned on me that the first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, took place in Egypt (Kemit) and how many of its glorious ancient artifacts are today found in many Western museums and how European (white) scholars have historically discredited Black people from developing such a civilization; giving more credit to what has been termed as "North African Caucasoids" (if there ever was such a thing) or simply put, "tanned" white people. Knowing all of this is important in order to understand what was to come.


Ashanti was the first artist to perform between the two pillars. On one level she appeared culturally enriched, with makeup around her eyes symbolic of the great pharaohs of ancient Egypt (Kemit). Artistically however, it was obvious that she is being molded according to corporate-music industry research standards - trying to mold her to sound more like what's presently "hot" (Keyshia Cole) rather than her own natural soft sensual musical self. After Ashanti's performance Shia LaBeouf, who plays Indiana Jones' sidekick Mutt Williams, was brought up on stage. He was asked to kick a freestyle, but refused.Instead, he did the "Crip Walk. " The audience cheered.


read more here...

Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Revelation

Revelation (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 8)

by Karen Traviss

Book Review by Dan Tres OMi

Omi's Note: I did read this book several weeks ago but held out on the review until the latest installment was out and gave everyone a week or two to catch it. This way, I wouldn't spoil anything for anyone.

With Karen Traviss at the helm of this book, the readers are returned to the Mandolarian culture. This time, Jaina decides it is up to her to defeat her brother. She was advised to seek training from someone that Jacen/Darth Caedus would never expect: Boba Fett. The story moves along at a quickening pace as Jacen/Darth Caedus finds a new apprentice.

The Mandolarians begin to secure more weapons contracts as they start to design fighter craft that are superior to anything used by the Galactic Alliance (GA). Some old characters from Traviss' Clone Commando series also make appearances. The reader also learns more about Fett's past. I only found these parts to be the plus ones. Everything else could have been done in a comic book.

Again, I must reiterate this particular theme: Fett is too old to be out there fighting. Yes, he has been cured (escaping death yet again) but his aging wasn't reversed. I expected there to be more deaths at the hands of Jacen/Darth Caedus. I expected to see more major characters meet their end. Yet none of it happened.

Personally, I don't think Jaina has what it takes to take on Jacen. When it comes to the Force, Jacen is just too formidable unless the authors from the Dark Nest Trilogy have been pulling our legs. Although I enjoy Traviss' work, I feel that this book and the last one were not enough to wrap up the later part of the series. The first few books did well to set up the plot yet now it seems as if Jacen/Darth Caedus despite all of his power can't seem to hold anything together.

There are so many characters that I feel should be focused on such as Kyp Durron, Seba Sebantyne, and others. Yet we get the same old guys, Luke (who should have been killed instead of Mara Jade), Han, and Leia. Although I dig the Mandolarians and their culture, I didn't really want to see a wedding.

Kwisatz Haderach: Sandwords Part II – The Breakdown

Another mythological concept brought into sci fi by the brilliant Frank Herbert was that of the Kwisatz Haderach or “the shortening of the way” in Herbert's Dune trilogy. In the Dune universe, this messiah like being would be able to connect the bridge between time and space. The Kwisatz Haderach would be everyone at once and be able to tell the future through prescience. In the original books, the Kwisatz Haderach was manifested in Paul Mu'adib who later refused this role, and then his son Leto II who became the God Emperor and ruled the universe for 2500 years.

While reading Ben Bova's Saturn, I noticed that many of his heroes were people of color. It is authors like Bova who remind me that in the future, it will be people from other countries outside of the United States who will most likely map out the stars. Bova does not mean people of Canada or Europe. If anything, there have been several articles that discuss how countries such as China, India, and even Nigeria have robust space programs.

In Sandwords of Dune, the concept of the Kwisatz Haderach returns. This time (this is a spoiler, folks) that person is manifested in Duncan Idaho. Idaho was a close bodyguard to the Atriedes family where the original Kwisatz Haderach came from. I must point out that Sandwords of Dune was written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson using notes left by the late Frank Herbert. Yet here we are, maybe 25,000 years into the future and a white cat named Duncan Idaho is the savior of the universe. Go figure. Why did his name have to be Duncan Idaho? Why can't it be Chen or Ramirez or Taiwo? Let's take it further, why couldn't it have been Sheila Idaho or Janet Idaho? I will say that the Dune series has a great number of female heroes. Yet what about the Kwisatz Haderach?

It's this type of sci fi naivete that bugs me out. As stated before, many will say that these gentlemen write from their perspective. When it comes to sci fi, I have to disagree. There have been many ideas and technological advances made because of the things discussed in sci fi. Even an element on the periodic table is named after Krypton. To think that white men will continue to run things even in science fiction is borderline idiocy and wishful thinking. There I said it.

Sandwords of Dune Book Review

Sandworms of Dune
Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson

Book Review by Dan Tres Omi

Omi's Note: I know this is a blog about Star Wars. Just bear with me. There will be an addendum to this post.

Many consider this to be the final installment in the Frank Herbert's Dune universe. Fortunately for Dune fans (depending on who you talk to), there will be other books written centered in the Dune universe. Brian Herbert, the son of the late author, and Kevin J. Anderson decided to conclude the Dune story after finding several pages of handwritten notes by the elder Herbert which detailed the conclusion of the House Atreides, the planet Arrakis, and the conflict between humanity and the thinking machines.

This author has read all of Frank Herbert's books and jumped at the chance of reading the prequels written by his son and Anderson. However, Brian Herbert and Anderson have yet to match Frank Herbert's brilliant writing and masterful vision. Yet this author does to expect anyone else to. Anderson has written several Star Wars novels and penned his own books that encompasses an entire universe with it's own history in the Saga of the Seven Suns series. Again, this author must admit that reading the prequels and the books after Chapterhouse was not as easy as reading Frank Herbert's original books. The writing quality is just not up to par. Yet reading all of those books helps to explain the history of the Dune universe.

For one to fully understand why the humans during Paul Mu'adib's time and that of his son Leto II did not use thinking machines, one must read the “Butlerian Jihad” and “The Machine Crusade.” To get a full grasp of why the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood operate in the manner in which they do, the prequels have to be read. Many a Dune fan has expressed their regret for picking up a few of these books. Yet learning about Frank Herbert's world through the notes interpreted through the younger Herbert and Anderson is worth it all in my opinion.

Sandwords of Dune takes place after Hunters of Dune which takes place immediately after the events of Frank Herbert's final chapter in the Dune universe before his unexpected demise. In Hunters of Dune, we follow the ghola Duncan Idaho who pilots the no ship Ithaca and his crew of refugees who escaped the genocide of the Honored Matres from Chapterhouse, the homeworld of the Bene Gesserit. Sheanna, a Bene Gesserit has decided to grow gholas of famous figures in histoy such as Paul Atreides, Chani his concubine, Dr. Yueh Wellington, Lady Jessica, Thufir Hawat, Leto II, Liet Kynes, and Stilgar. In Hunters... Matre Supreme Commander Murbella finally unites the Honored Matres and the Bene Genesserits to form the New Sisterhood to mobilize humanity against a centuries old enemy. We also learn that the thinking machines have returned to confront humanity in one final battle and have been scheming for centuries on their revenge under the watchful eye of Omnius and Erasmus.

In Sandworms, the Ithaca is still being pursued by Omnius and Erasmus. At the same time, Omnius has grown his own gholas of Paul Atreides and the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Murbella finally has mustered every available warship and soldier the universe has to prepare against the final battle with the thinking machines. Omnius has calculated that the key to fully defeating the humans is to control both Kiswatz Haderachs. Omnius sends a plague to destroy Chapterhouse since he understands that it is the New Sisterhood is humanity's only hope. Each action leads the major players closer and closer to the final confrontation which is full of surprises.

Of all of the prequels written by Brian Herbert and Anderson, I have to admit that Hunters... and Sandworms... are the best ones. Both writers build enough tension through Sandworms and throw in quite a few surprises. In the prequels concerning the Butlerian Jihad and the main houses of humanity, the story lines were tremendously predictable and several characters were ones the reader ended up not caring for. With the post Frank Herbert books, some new characters are really fleshed out.

Both authors pose more questions than answers. This adds to the mystery of the Dune series. There were so many plots within plots and this reminded me of Frank Herbert. Despite the destruction of Arrakis in Chapterhouse Dune, spice remained the ingredient that put everything together. Several groups, even the thinking machines, fought over this commodity. Personally, I found it to be a satisfying conclusion to the story. Not only did the two authors tie everything up from Frank Herbert's original novels but they also tied things up from the prequels as well. Many of the prequel characters make an appearance.
Much of what Frank Herbert used in his original books were also explained.

As stated before, there are several fans who are disappointed in the work Brian Herbert and Anderson have done. Yet this book is worth reading since everything is tied up properly. Plus it is always good to know what happens in the end.

The New Clone Wars

Like most SW fans, I await the premiere of this exciting new series. Many readers of this blog have asked us several questions about it. I know we have waited far too long to answer some of them but as most of you know, I am looking forward to it. I knew it would be on Cartoon Network (probably the only place where one can find the freedom needed to really put out a quality cartoon – just look at the Justice League Unlimited which pretty much has forced me to even look at the DC line again). Here we go.

a. For those of you that don't know, GL has allowed the production reins to Dave Filoni. Filoni is like many of us, a hardcore fan who enjoys dressing up as Jedi Master Plo Koon. He will be working as the Supervising Director. This is seen as a good move by many since Filoni follows the EU closely. However, I must point out that GL still makes the final decision. GL has stated that they will be introducing new characters and new storylines. So don't expect to learn more about the campaign at Boz Pity or more about Quinlan Vos.

b. GL and Filoni have both stated that you will see the Jedi and other characters that are in the movies. So of course you will see stories with Plo Koon, Adi Gailla, Mace Windu, and Ki Adi Mundi. So that should be good.

c.No one has come out to say this, but the implication is there, but many of the stories will be considered canon and may not contradict anything in the EU. I guess that is the reason why Filoni was chosen.

d.Of course, you all know that I have issues with Anakin having a padawan. There just wasn't enough time. We have to consider so many issues if he had a padawan. I know that several masters were killed leaving their padawans in a state of limbo. Yet the Council did not wily nily hand out padawans to folks just because.

e. the artwork is just too awesome.

f. Filoni explained that there will be a lot of clones. He will introduce some new commanders and see a better relationship developed with some clones and Jedi.

I hope this helps.

Star Wars: Fury

Fury (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7)
by Aaron Allston

This is the seventh installment in the Legacy of the Force series. Things are all coming to a head as the Jedi under Luke Skywalker finally decide that they have to move aggressively against Jacen. At this point no one, not even Luke, believes that Jacen could be brought back to the light side. Jacen/Darth Caedus has passed the point of no return by torturing Ben Skywalker and killing Mara Jade Skywalker. However, no one suspects that Jacen/Darth Caedus is the one behind the murder of Mara. Everyone continues to think it is Alema Rar.

As the Jedi begin to search for a new place to move their academy, Jacen/Darth Caedus along with Admiral Niathal are looking for that one battle that would turn the tide and win the war. Ironically, Jacen/Darth Caedus is losing allies from within and without the Galactic Alliance as planets continue to claim their independence or join the Confederation under Corellia.

Jacen/Darth Caedus decides to kidnap his daughter Allana from the Hapes Consortium due to the betrayal of Tenel Ka. When he successfully accomplishes this, Tenel Ka approaches Luke Skywalker and comes clean about their child. The Jedi decide to get Allana back and confront Jacen/Darth Caedus.
Meanwhile Admiral Niathal begins to realize that Jacen has always been acting in his own interest. Jacen continues to overstep his boundaries and make decisions without consulting her. Admiral Niathal decides to wait awhile partly because she feels that the war would come to its climax soon.

The Confederation decides to approach Jacen to sue for peace. Jacen and Admiral Niathal quickly understand that it is a trap even though intelligence demonstrates that the Confederation fleet is in dire straits. Both joint Chiefs of Staff, set up a plan in case the trap is sprung. Jacen/Darth Caedus decides to keep Allana near him. The Jedi learn about the peace “summit” and make their plans. When Jacen/Darth Caedus arrives, the Confederation springs their trap and Jacens calls in his fleet from hyperspace. That is when the Corellians use Centerpoint Station to destroy the Galactic Alliance Fleet. At the same time, Leia, Han, and several others are successful in their attempt to rescue Allana.

Despite the defeat, Jacen/Darth Caedus and Admiral Niathal decide to counter attack the Corellians at Centerpoint Station. This idea was put together to let the Confederation believe that the Galactic Alliance is no where near defeat. Of course, the Jedi learn about this attack and make their move as well. They plan on sending a team to destroy the station from within. Meanwhile, the Corellian Confederation is slowly falling apart as factions begin to upset the balance of power.

To be honest, Fury is overwhelming. So many things happens but it makes sense. In this book, everyone even Admiral Niathal loses faith in Jacen/Darth Caedus. Being the seventh book, things will be moving pretty fast to wrap things up. Unfortunately, when everything is said in done the galaxy will probably return to its former position right after the Yuuzhan Vong war. This explains how the Empire takes over before the time of Cade Skywalker.

In this blog, we have covered the idea of how an Imperial government seems to “govern” a vast galaxy in a much more efficient manner. The lights stay on and folks get to eat. The Republic or the Galactic Alliance just never seems to do it right. As the action unfolds, we see the Galactic Alliance (GA) crumbling. Of course, Jacen and Niathal led the GA to it's breaking point even though both of their intentions were supposedly for the good of the galaxy.

Jacen (which is why I switch back and forth between Jacen and Jacen/Darth Caedus) still has not come out of the closet as a Sith. Ironically, none of the Jedi have admitted to this as well. A few suspect but overall, the feeling is that Jacen is nuts instead of a Sith lord. As a reader, we have the benefit of knowing the plot but Jacen is compared to Darth Vader so many times one would think that someone would say “hey, dude is a Sith.” Is this the same pattern from what happened in Ep III?

Star Wars: Honor and Duty Graphic Novel

Honor and Duty (Star Wars)
by John Ostrander, C.P. Smith, Luke Ross, Jasen Rodriguez, and Steve Firchow

This graphic novel covers 3 issues in the Star Wars: Republic line. All three cover the story of Sagoro Autem, a Republic Senate Guard two years before the onset of the Clone Wars and the events shortly after Episode III. It is stories like that of Autem that keep me glued to the Star Wars EU.

Autem is third generation Senate Guard. He is a by the book family man who finds that the Republic is the next best thing since the Holonet. Like Jedi Master Mace Windu, Autem believes that the Republic is the only thing that keeps the galaxy from falling into chaos. Like Windu, Autem does whatever it takes within the guidelines of the Republic to maintain that order. So he makes sure that he gets his man.

Like all ordinary people, Autem does have his problems. His brother, Venco, is a former Senate Guard who was fired due to his corrupt deeds. Venco continues to visit his brother's protest. His son Reymet, who is currently a student at the Senate Guard academy does not share in his father's view of the Republic. If anything, he is carefree and wants to venture outside of Coruscant to learn about the outside world. Autem's married life is strained at best. Yet he continues to punch the clock each day to earn his pay and get the bad guys.

Everything changes when Autem and his partner are asked to investigate the murder of a Senator right before the passage of an important Senate bill. The new Senator is assigned two Jedi, Obi Wan Kenobi and the young Anakin Skywalker. Autem is distrustful of the Jedi but decides to keep them in the loop. Soon Autem discovers that Venco is involved in the plot and his son has unknowingly assisted his brother in his criminal activities.

Autem's fate is set when he kills his brother and learns that he would be put under investigation when the Senate Guard realizes that Venco had paid Autem and his family several visits. Autem decides to leave the Senate Guard when he learns that his family has fled the planet. Fast forward until the events after Episode III where Autem is a celebrated war hero due to the siege of Saleucami. He learns about the Empire and Darth Vader and quickly realizes that again, he has bought into the wrong system. Somehow Vader takes a personal vow to kill Autem himself, yet in the end the hero escapes.

What makes the story so great is that we see what happens to the little people in the wake of the Clone Wars. We see how the Republic and it's corrupt bureaucracy runs over the powerless. It makes one understand why so many planets decided to become independent. Autem and several like him throughout the story struggle with that idea. Unlike the other characters, it takes much for Autem to realize that the Republic has failed him.

Again, I enjoy the story line but I was frustrated that the other stories of Autem and his encounters with other Jedi, his return to the Republic, and other battles are left out. I understand that in several of those stories, Autem was a background character and the other stories would not have centered around him. For those not familiar with the EU, it may seem rather confusing. Overall, it is nice collection of good writing and great artwork.

Anakin and his padawan

(GL does it again)

I was not going to let the cat out of the bag, but someone in the comments page did. I wanted to really meditate on this for a second and then I wanted to peruse through all of my Clone Wars stuff to see if it fit. For those that don't know, in the new Clone Wars series coming in August of 2008, Anakin will be given a padawan.

Now the span between Episodes II and III is only 3 years. Dark Horse comics and Del Rey have done a good job at keeping everyone up to snuff on their timelines. There may have been a few weeks missing in the lives of Anakin and Obi Wan but throughout the Clone Wars, during Episode III, and after there is no mention of Anakin having a padawan. If memory serves me correctly, Anakin did not become a Jedi Master until shortly before the events in Episode III. So he did not have time to have a padawan since so much was going on.

It would make sense for him to have watched some padawan since many padawans were losing their masters during the Clone Wars but not as an apprentice. Of course GL was guilty of this before with the Qui Gon Jinn debacle but heads were able to let that slide. Then we had two alternate prequels in the second season of Clone Wars and the book Labyrinth of Evil. This one is going to be a doosy to explain.

Anyone care to try?

Darth Bane: The Rule of Two

by Drew Karpyshyn
Book Review by Dan Tres OMi

The story begins shortly after the finale of the Jedi-Sith battle on Ruusan. The Jedi win a Pyhrric victory as the Sith seemingly wipe themselves out while taking close to a hundred Jedi with them including the heroic yet stubborn General Hoth. One Jedi padawan however, Johun Othone, believes that there are a few Sith hiding in the shadows. Yet the Jedi, particularly General Farfalla, doubt that any Sith survived the inescapable thought bomb. The Jedi decide to turn their military power over the Republic through Chancellor Valorum (no not the one from Episode I).

Darth Bane and his new apprentice, Zannah, attempt to leave Ruusan but encounter problems through mercenaries. They quickly dispatch them and leave a few of them alive so that they can spread rumors of dark siders. Bane's plan works as he uses these seeds of deception to spread his Sith like tendrils throughout the galaxy. Ten years pass as Bane and Zannah continue to gain power, spread dissent, and continue to create a web of resources throughout the galaxy. Bane understands that his power needs to grow and that there is still much to learn. Zannah shows a tremendous amount of patience and she continues to follow Bane's orders.

Eventually Othone discovers Tomcat, one of Zannah's cousins who saw her after the demise of the Brotherhood of the Sith on Ruusan. He brings Tomcat to the Jedi temple to bring him before the Jedi Council. Zannah, on a mission to steal information from the temple, encounters Tomcat and kidnaps him. A chase ensues. The Jedi are again ready to deal with the Sith. Or are they?

The story moves slowly. At this point, we see the lightsaber action take a back seat as Bane and his apprentice begin their machinations towards the ruin of the Jedi. Through Bane's actions in both books, one can easily come away with the idea that Bane is stronger and more diabolical then Palpatine ever was. If anything, Bane set the standard for the rule of two. Bane continues to demonstrate the weakness of the previous Sith lords who maintained large armies of Sith masters and students. Bane's focus and determination is unparalleled as he tries to create a Sith holocron. He is truly a student of the dark side and wastes no effort in learning more. At times, the reader wonders if Zannah is worthy of being his apprentice yet she proves her loyalty over and over.

The arrogance of the Jedi is clearly evident. One can see the beginnings of their elitist approach to the galaxy. In Valorum's debate with Farfalla, we see the Jedi refuse to turn over their power. Quickly, they become enslaved to the Republic. Othone, even though he is a student of General Hoth, is a pragmatist. He sees the error in both decisions but realizes that the Jedi can maintain control forever. Othone feels the Jedi should pay a more prominent role in Galactic politics however. It seems as if each Jedi represents a different sentiment. Even the minor Jedi introduced in this book each represent a different facet of what he or she feels the Jedi should follow.

Through the Jedi's insolence, the Sith do escape and they are much stronger than ever. It would be interesting to see how this plays out since Lucas has cancelled the book on Darth Plagueis. For those who want to understand how the Sith work right up to Palpatine, this book is a must read. One will learn that in the Star Wars EU, the Sith after the death of Palpatine revert to the old ways of starting a brotherhood. Soon, our blog will begin to focus on those Sith lords when the time comes.

Make Mine Marvel?

Some of you comic book heads remember the days when Marvel comics reigned supreme before all the X Men movies. In the letter's section of any Marvel comic, several fans would end their letters with “make mine marvel.” Before they would write make mine marvel they would throw a punchline before that. It would go something like this:

“Until Wolverine cries, make mine marvel...”

or

“Until Dr. Strange smokes weed, make mine marvel...”

My brother from another mother Billie Wheelz and I still throw punch lines such as these all the time. Call it a geek moment but only the true Marvel heads (O.M.'s, right?) know about this. However Marvel has done some stuff that made me think twice about supporting them. To be honest, they fell off for about a decade. Yet when I was a die hard fan, they did some ill things. Check the method.



1.The marriage of the Vision and Scarlet Witch – I think Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were smoking some crack with this one (I am sure when Lee's biography comes out there will be several instances of drug binges in there). How the heck is a cyborg that walks through walls going to get with a mutant? I understand that Marvel has explained the children part through the Scarlet Witch's powers but sex? Come on man. That is borderline perv.

2.Luke Cage in his old threads – A yellow top and tight black pants? WTF, a pimp? In the late 90's, someone at Marvel decided this was wack and now has Luke Cage wearing regular street clothes. Whew! I know much if happened because of the stereotype folks had in the 70's but even Black Lightning in DC comics was played like that.



3.Modok – WTF? Then he came to rule over the Kree Empire? WTF? He was just too weird. Can't wait until the History of Marvel comics comes out. I am sure there will be plenty of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston moments.

4.Storm – I never really got close to her character because she had white hair and blue eyes. This was NEVER explained. So a sister had to have some recessive trait in there to be considered a goddess. I will admit that the Storm graphic novel by Eric Jerome Dickey is dope on so many levels, I got it for T'Challa instead of Storm.

5.Wolverine – the reason why I was not big on Wolverine was because as tough as he claimed to be, he always manages to get his ass handed to him. He talks so much junk it's ridiculous. It actually gets on my nerves. If it wasn't for his healing factor, dude would have been tossed a long time ago.



6.Nick Fury – die mofo, die! Dude does not have the Super Soldier Serum like Captain America yet he has not aged a day since WWII. Okay they throw a little white on the edges. He has no super powers but still lives. Come on man, kill him off, please. BTW, did anyone see Michael Hasselhoff play Nick Fury? It is too funny. (the name is so dope though).

7.Oh about S.H.I.E.L.D. -- what's up with the tights? I really can't take a federal agency seriously if they are all wearing tights. I have grown to understand why comic book artists draw super heroes in tights, but federal agents?

8.Did anyone collect the Dazzler comic book? Let me catch someone who did so I can joke them. I can't picture the party now....

9.As much as I love Jack Kirby's and John Byrne's the Fantastic Four (remember when the Thing left and the She Hulk was a member?), I cannot stand the Silver Surfer. I just can't take a cat who flies around on a surf board seriously. Sorry dude. Another crack binge in the office.


Until Nick Fury lives another ten minutes, Make Mine Marvel.

Star Wars: Secrets of the Jedi

by Jude Watson

Review by Dan Tres Omi

Young Adult (YA) books have come along way. While attending education course at Old Dominion University (ODU) who used many YA books for the curriculum. I was amazed at how historically accurate many of these YA books were. Although they left much detail out, the stories were exciting. Star Wars YA books do the same. They stay close to the official canon and there is much continuity involved. Jude Watson has written several YA books for the Star Wars EU. If anything Jude Watson has filled in so many blanks when it comes to training in the Jedi temple. She started with the apprenticeship between Qui Gon Jin and Obi Wan Kenobi and continued through that of Obi Wan and Anakin Skywalker. I have to big up Billie Wheelz for consistently recommending the YA books. He has read all of them and is an avid supporter of YA books. My oldest son, X-man, has been reading them since he was eight years old and thoroughly enjoys them.

In Secrets of the Jedi, Watson tells a story about Obi Wan as a padawan under Qui Gon, and a love interest he had with Siri Tachi, a padawan under Adi Gallia. While helping a young child escape bounty hunters who worked for Passel Argente, the head of the Corporate Alliance. While helping the young Taly escape from the clutches of the bounty hunters and destroying the plot set up by Argente, Siri and Obi Wan discover their fierce love for one another. However, Qui Gon and Yoda convince Obi Wan of the dangers of acquiring attachments and leaving the Jedi Order.

Twenty years later, Obi Wan is Anakin's master while Siri refuses to take another padawan after Ferus Olin's decision to leave the order. They are assigned by the council to meet with Taly and convince him to give the Republic his super code breaker. What makes the mission even more complicated is that fact that Padme Amidala has asked to come along. Things take a turn for the worse when Taly makes impossible demands and Siri and Obi Wan relive their past feelings for one another.

The story makes a strong argument for the Jedi's approach to detachment. When Obi Wan asks Yoda if the council could change the rule, he is told that it will not happen. Qui Gon answers that one day it might when the times change. Of course, this happens with the order is destroyed and Luke Skywalker rebuilds it. Yet their reason is not because it must be but because they do not want Jedi to leave the order. As simple as the plot was, the story asked many questions. Those questions will hopefully be examined in future stories written by Watson and others.

Star Wars Republic Commando: True Colors

by Karen Traviss

Book Review by Dan Tres OMI

There's one thing that bothers me, sir. They say Master Yoda referred to the war as the Clone War after the Battle of Geonosis. It was the very first battle of the war. Why did he identify the war that way, by the clones who are fighting it? Have we ever said the Fifth Fleet or the Corellian Baji Brigade War? What does he know that we don't?

-- General Bardan Jusik, confiding in General Arligan Zey ( an excerpt from Karen Traviss' True Colors).

I thoroughly enjoyed Traviss' third installment of the Republic Commando series. There is not much action in this book but Traviss goes to work in the drama department. We learn more about Omega squad and the other Clone Commandos and Null ARC Troopers who Kal Skirata, the Mandalarian who Jango Fett had hired to train several units of the Clone Commandos, takes under his wing as his own sons. The story made me want to read more versus waiting on action scenes. I assumed that Traviss would begin the story close towards the end of the Clone Wars. Instead she starts about 18 months after the battle of Geonosis.

Traviss also throws in several interesting intelligence reports about how the war is being conducted. As the Null ARCs learn that the Separatists' droid production has been over exaggerated and that the war could be over if a series of strong pushes were conducted instead of spreading the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) thinly across the galaxy. Jedi General Arligan Zey, head of the Special Forces, makes note of this several times and notifies Master Mace Windu who in turn let's Supreme Chancellor Palpatine know what the intelligence on the ground is telling him. Like most wars, the Clones realize that it is the politicians who run the war. Doing the math, the Commandos and Skirata learn that the Clone Wars are being fought for entirely different reasons then everyone expects.

We also learn that the Republic has no plans to purchase new clones or take care of the ones they already have. When one of the members of Omega is put in a coma, they learn the shocking truth that any clones who are too hurt to return to the field are exterminated, Skirata decides to take matters into their own hands. Skirata has always wanted to reverse the aging process of the clone army. When he learns that Ko Sai, the Kaminoan chief geneticist, faked her death during the Battle of Kamino the chase is on. The Commandos also learn that Palpatine is also looking for Ko Sai for her secrets into the aging process. Add the Separatists and other companies who are involved in cloning and time is winding down.

Again, there is not much action but the story seems to be winding for a big spring. Traviss must have some great stuff in the works for all the Republic Commando fans. Again Traviss' expertise with all things military shines through. Her tweaking of the Mandalore culture is just the icing on the cake.

Political leaders and Sci Fi

I know I often complain about how in Sci-Fi several white writers somehow leave people of color out of the future. Movies are the most recognizable ways in which this is done. Look at joints such as The Minority Report (which Philip K. Dick's short story takes place in a different city). In this K. Dick remake, Washington D.C. was devoid of black folks. Or the the Star Wars OT where all we had was Lando Calrissian. I could go on and on. However, there are times when Sci Fi has its shining moments when it comes to people of color.

Take joints such as the latest incarnation of Battlestar Galactica. Admiral Adama is played by Edward James Olso. Even GL did his think using Temeura Morrison as Jango Fett and the template for clones. I knew Boba Fett was a brother!

What I notice, and maybe this is a bad thing, is that when there are people of color in Sci Fi they hold positions of power. Take the Matrix or movies such as “Bruce Almighty” and “Deep Impact.” Are we saying that only in fantasy worlds people of color can hold power?

So folks like Jared Ball or Barack Obama have no chance?

Well, I have learned that usually Sci-Fi movies, books, and other forms of media are brief glimpses into the future. They are written to keep humanity hopeful in an often bleak world. Then again, throughout the world, people of color hold positions of power. Most come from humble origins.

We are not invisible anymore.

We are so behind...

First up, Happy New year to all. 2007 was kind of a busy year for us. There are a few books we have not caught up to. We promise to get to them before the month is out.

One of course is the latest Karen Traviss Clone Commando joint, True Colors (Star Wars: Republic Commando). I am dying to read this piece. It should be on point. It takes place during the Clone Wars. It also answers a lot of questions.
The latest installment of the Legacy of the Force series was released in Nov of '07. It is entitled Fury (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7). Billie Wheelz has read it (hint, brother, hint). Let's see what happens.

So we have a lot of catching up to do.

Thanks for the support.

Let's keep it great for '08

P.S. -- check some of the new links

MacGruder, What's the deal?

People really bug when I tell them that Boondocks started off as a comic strip. I usually have to show them the actual strips. Then again we Americans, no matter what stripe, have the attention spans of fleas. We also get a geography lesson when we go to war. So I honestly do not understand why I am tripping about it.

What attracted me to the strip way back 1999 was the numerous Star Wars references. I felt like I had finally come home. I had a comic strip that talked to me (other than the Source's Underground which they got rid of sometime in the mid 90s).

In one story arc, Huey Freeman expressed his disappointment in Episode I. His anger was manifested in this character who was a white, disgruntled Star Wars fan who dressed up like a Jedi. He asked Huey if he should kick GL's tail in public. Huey shrugged. Well the next thing you know, this guys is on TV. He was arrested for assaulting GL. Then he claims Huey told him to do it. It was priceless.

My question is why hasn't this story arc, or something to this effect, appeared on the cable show?

My first reaction is that anything SW will go over people's heads. Let's face it, the people that watch Boondocks will probably be the same crowd that watched Dave Chappelle. Money wise this is a good thing. But Chappelle even admitted that most of his fans did not get what he was talking about with it came to Race and politics. Let's be quite honest, the same thing is happening with Boondocks. Take the MLK episode for example. Macgruder and his writers were in no way trying to disrespect the Rev. Dr. MLK. They were asking what he would think of African Americans after all of their struggle.

Honestly, it just wouldn't sell. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the show but it comes no where near the political satire found in the comic strip. There are several story arcs found in the strip that I know won't make the cut onto Cartoon Network.

But can't a brother get one Star Wars ep?

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Inferno

Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6)
by Troy Denning

Book review by Dan Tres Omi

The kid gloves are off. Jacen Solo/Darth Caedeus has reached the point of no return. The Jedi are forced to make a decision that would change the face of the latest Galactic Civil War. Luke Skywalker has to make his move and Ben is the key to his sanity. Troy Denning's Inferno brings the pain as we near the climax of the Legacy of the Force miniseries.

Jacen/Caedeus has one final plan to crush the Correllian insurrection and the Confederate planets. It involves the cooperation of the Jedi Knights and the Hapes Consortium. Many planets have left the Galactic Alliance (GA). This has stretched the military forces of the GA thin. Yet Jacen/Caedeus feels that one strike will end it all. Using the force, Jacen/Caedeus finds no flaws in his end game. To ensure the cooperation of the Jedi Knights, he holds the Jedi Academy on Ossus hostage.

Of course, things do not go according to plan. Ben decides to take revenge on Jacen/Caedeus. Luke finally decides to take action against Jacen/Caedeu. This is something the Jedi have been itching to do. Jaina, Zekk, and Jagged Fel decide to free the hostages on Ossus. It is there that Jacen/Caedeus loses it. To make matters worse the Bothans get involved with the Wookies debating on whose side to take. Eventually, the Wookies side with the Jedi thanks in part to the intervention of Han and Leia.

Several characters meet their end. Finally, a confrontation between Luke and Jacen happens. Jacen is left with half a foot in the grave. Ben sees Jacen for who he is. At one point, Luke is thought to have been killed. Despite the heavy losses to the Fifth fleet, Jacen makes it back to Coruscant.

Overall, the plot went along very fast. Too many things happened at once. This makes sense. The previous books led up to this point in the story. Alema Rar is still alive and actually hunts down some Sith to get some answers from them. This adds another element to the story. However, I still find Alema Rar's character to be useless. I don't understand why she is still alive. If anything she creates more questions and problems then there needs to be.

Jacen/Caedeus was not as formidable as I assumed. If anything he is more of a nuisance. One would think that all the power that Jacen possesses that was discussed in the Dark Nest trilogy and the earlier Legacy of the Force novels would not allow people to get the drop on him but they do. I am not saying he should be as powerful as Palpatine was and he is not omnipotent but all this talk really makes me wonder. To be honest, Jacen comes off as a joke. My assumption was that he would beat Luke easily. Instead Luke seems to toy with him. Or is it that Luke has never had the opportunity to use his full Force powers. Then again, both Jacen and Luke come from the same bloodline.

I did expect another major character to die. Yet only quite a few minor characters were killed off. Killing one major character every thirty books is not realistic. Not everyone can escape death several times over (If Han and Leia do one more death defying escape on the Millenium Falcon, I swear I will slit my wrists). Denning however, pulls it off as things start to move fast.

The next book should be even better.

Star Wars Death Star

Death Star (Star Wars)
by Michael Reeves and Steve Perry

This book seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. The dates for the release kept changing. The heads at Lucas Films did release the advertisement for it. I walked into a local book store and spotted it hidden among the shelves. For those that spend some time in the Expanded Universe (EU), we learn in Episode II and in the Battlefront II video game that this weapon was in development even before the onset of the Clone Wars. Wilhuff Tarkin of Eriadu had Imperial military ambitions even before the rise of Palpatine in the Galactic Senate.

Both Michael Reeves and Steve Perry worked on the wonderful Star Wars Medstar duology which featured Uli, Bariss Offee, Den Dhur, I-5 and other fleshed out characters that gave life to the background of the Clone Wars. The events in this book begin a little over a year before the events in Episode IV. They end in the destruction of the firsts Death Star at Yavin 4. Perry and Reeves introduce new characters but also bring back characters that most Star Wars fans are familiar with.

Darth Vader and Wilhuff Tarkin who is newly given the title of Grand Moff are given several chapters on their own. Admiral Daala makes several appearances. We learn more about the relationship between Tarkin and Daala. Admiral Motti who everyone remembers for doubting the Force in Episode IV is given much more background then in the movie. Dr. Kornell “Uli” Divini of the Medstar duology also returns. His luck continues to deteriorate as the story unfolds. The readers are introduced to Seargent Nova Stihl, a prison guard who is also a martial artist, Celot Ratua Dil, a Zelosian thief who also has his share of bad luck, Lieutenant Commander Villian “Vil” Dance, an ace TIE fighter pilot, Teela Kaarz, an architech who chose to support the wrong political party and sentenced to life in prison, Master Chief Petty Officer Tenn Graneet, a career artillery gun men who dreams of being the Non Commissioned Officer who runs the big gun on the Death Star, and Memah Roothes, a Twi'lek cantina owner who gets a chance to manage a cantina on the Death Star.

Eventually and in some form, each person makes their way to the Death Star and cross paths. When the Death Star is fully operational and is used to commit several atrocities each person begins to question their roles in the process. Even Memah Roothes, who runs a cantina, sees her indirect role in the overall grind of the Imperial military. The characters make the story realistic.

After the first 2/3's of the book, we are thrown into the events in Episode IV. Vader attacks the Tantive IV over Tattooine, Princess Leis is brought on board the Death Star to be tortured, she is rescued, Obi Wan Kenobi fights Darth Vader, and the Death Star is destroyed. This time, we see the events through the eyes of the supporting cast. We see how the news of all these events are viewed by the crewmen and woman of the Death Star. This gives a different perspective from the view of the Imperial servicemen.

The only flaw is that the actual origin of the Death Star plans are still a mystery. It is only alluded that the original plans were put together by the Geonosians and improved upon by several architects, technicians, and scientists such as Qui Xux at the Maw Installation. Even Tarkin does not say how he encountered the plans. We know he became its number one advocate but other than that, it's origins are obscure.

The book is a must read. It adds depth to the entire Galactic Civil War and puts faces on the ground troops and pilots in the Imperial military. The assumption is that everyone in the Imperial military toed the party line. It was cool to encounter people who were force sensitive but had no clue that they were in such characters as Nova Stihl. We also learn about how Darth Vader was able to push out the memory of Padme Amidala. Vader still questions the Emperor's loyalty to him even after almost 20 years of service.