The Emerald Reich

I began writing a fan-comic script entitled "The Emerald Reich" about a crazy alternate, darker Sonic the Hedgehog universe more akin to "Other-M" than most other Sonic comic books. It was set in the following scenario -- the Sonic Adventure games happened in the real world whereas Sonic, Robotnick, and company all came from an alternate reality that's a modified version of the Archie/SatAM version of "Mobius," a darker place with robotic monsters around every corner and a floating island nation full of echidnas.

The problem? I couldn't draw. So, here comes the first three sections of the script. I'll post more if anyone actually cares to read it.

Part 1: The Scheme
(Robotnick sits in a small, unadorned room. There is a metallic door and a large desk where he sits. In front of him lay the plans for some sort of robotic creature device).
Dr. Robotnick: (The doctor presses a button on the desk and says into the intercom)
Snively, come here
Snively: (He enters the room saying) Yes, master, what is it you need?
Robotnick: I have a plan, it will take time, but once it begins there shall be no man or beast that could stop me.
Snively: (Grinning) Perfect master, what does this plan entail?
(Dr. Robotnick presses a few buttons on the desk, a screen comes down from the ceiling. Zoom in on the screen which shows Kodos in a dark cell with one of the E-100 units moving past it in a corridor)
Robotnick: (Back to showing Robotnick) First, we will be needing the hide of (pointing at the screen and you can partially make out Kodos looking upwards) that. (Show Robotnick turn around in his chair and face Snively) I have a use for it. (Show Robotnick’s face with an evil grin) All else we’ll need are the usual robots and the Master Emerald to power my city, and I can wait for that (Robotnick laughs maniacally, standing. As he stands you can see the plans were for a robotic creature, an outline of which surrounds it, it’s shaped like a large feline creature).

Part 2: The Meeting
(You see a tapestry showing two Echidna’s standing with fists out in front of a large emerald, one is blinded and holding an olive leaf, the other is muted and holding a sword)
(Zoom in on Knuckles with a gavel in hand, with the tapestry behind him. He is dressed in a suit with a red tie, adorned with images of chaos emeralds here and there)
Knuckles: Order, Order I say!
(You pan around to see an entire room filled with echidna’s in similar dress sitting around a table. The echidnas seem to be in some sort of discussion, they calm down after his comment)
Knuckles: We were talking about the Chaotix and our part in their existence. The Chaotix is a unit that I had formed, a team of creatures of all nations whose sole purpose was to protect even when others could not. Protection is what this nation was founded on, protection of the emeralds, why is protection of the remainder of this world so different. If the emeralds are to get in the wrong hands, it would be devastating to all of us.
(An echidna stands; he is a dark orange in coloration and has a grey tie. He has a small, neatly trimmed mustache and has a small pin on his suit-coat, his name is Cain)
Cain: If I may speak, Mr. President.
Knuckles: By all means, Senator Cain.
Cain: Thank you. Our nation is, as you’ve said founded to protect the emeralds. Before we even dream of focusing on anything else, we should focus within. We should protect the emeralds first and foremost.
(A cheer of ‘Here here’ comes up from the crowd)
Knuckles: Ignoring the danger of Robotnick is pointless.
Cain: (Tensions are beginning to build) Robotnick has no need for us; he wants to destroy the nation of Acorn, not the floating island.
Knuckles: (A vein appears to become more prominent in his head) I have seen this man firsthand, he will come for us, and he will destroy many in the process and I do not want to stand by while that happens.
(Another echidna stands)
Echidna_2: Pardon, Mr. President, but is it even our place to step in, in these foreign affairs. Acorn’s war against Robotnick is his, not ours.
(The crowd of suited echidnas begin to rise up, arguing)
(Knuckles pounds his gavel)
Knuckles: Silence! (All are quieted and sit) We have a motion on the table. The motion reads, “We the members of the Angel Island House of Guardians do hereby move to sever all official ties with the fringe organization known as the Chaotix.” It has been written up by Senator Cain, is this motion seconded.
(A random echidna rises saying ‘Aye’)
Knuckles: All in favor. (Pan around, showing hands raised) All opposed. (The same type of pan). Abstention? Motion passes 23-14-3. I will send a message immediately to the Chaotix, telling them of our decision. (Knuckles shakes his head)

Part 3: The Freedom Force
(Sally and Sonic are seen walking through a large door. Behind them are Antoine and Tails. Zoom out so that you can see them in the grand throne room of King Acorn).
Sonic: (Narrating) King Acorn had summoned us in that day, a day I won’t forget.
(The four of them reach up to the front and King Acorn comes down from his thrown to greet them)
Acorn: Ahh, welcome. You all wonder why I have sent for you.
Sally: Yes, I do and what is this I heard about you dissolving the Freedom Fighters?
Acorn: Yes, all in due time my child, but first I must say that Sally will no longer be leading any Freedom Fighters. (Acorn is holding Sally by the shoulders) Since it is the 18th year since your birth, (He lets go) you must finish your training as Acorn Royalty first and foremost.
Sally: Father?
Acorn: There is no debating this. You have been a warrior since you were 13, it’s time you learned how to be a Princess.
Sally: (shook her head in anger and then stomped her foot as she said indignantly) But who will lead the Freedom Force, surely you are not dissolving the organization?
Acorn: (The King walked away from Sally and towards Tails) Of course not, Miles?
Tails: Yes, your Highness?
Acorn: (The King puts his hand on Tails’ shoulders) Miles, will you kneel before me. (Tails kneels and Acorn pulls out his sword, placing it on Tails’ right shoulder and moving it towards his left shoulder saying) I dub thee Sir Miles of Acorn and I ask you to rise. (Tails stands back up smiling) Sir Miles, I now grant you full control of our elite, the Freedom Force. I trust you Miles and wish you luck.
Tails: Thank you, your Highness. I shall not fail you. (Tails walks out of the throne room).
Sonic (Narrating) A lot of changes were made that day. (Show Antoine bowing before Acorn) Antoine was placed in charge of the Royal Army. (See Acorn’s arm on Sonic’s shoulders) And I was to direct the two forces and a third one, a Secret Service.
(Sonic looks confused)
Sonic: Secret Service? What do you mean?
Acorn: (Calls to the shadows with his hand) Come over (Looks back to Sonic) I am establishing a secret service, a reconnaissance based group for my kingdom.
(The robed figure is next to Acorn who is pointing, Vana White style)
Acorn: Sonic, I’d like you to meet the head of our secret service (The robed figure begins pulling back his hood and we pan to Sonic’s face which has a look of shock)
Sonic: You? You’re…alive?

Ripper Confirmed

The Buffy spin-off they've been talking about for a long time, the Giles based BBC series "Ripper" has apparently been given the greenlight by the BBC, Tony Head, Joss Whedon, and the approval of Fox. According to Whedon, it looks like it'll be a 90 minute made-for-TV feature about Giles -- but no matter what the format, I know I'm overly excited. Those who know me know that I'm a big Buffy dork. Gifts of "The Long Way Home" graphic novel are always appreciated...

Blue Door

My brother is in this band called Blue Door. If you like to rock, then check them out on MySpace. Do it, they're great and you can download each of their tracks to listen to at your own pace -- or on your iPod/MP3 player...

My Boys

My Boys returns to television next Monday on TBS. I highly recommend the show -- as such, I'm linking to the TBS My Boys subpage, where you can watch the episodes from the first season. I know, I like strange television -- but this show is worth checking out. Enjoy.

0 mg

Have you noticed that when you write out zero miligrams in the proper format -- it spells 0mg, i.e. OMG!

Coincidence...uhm...yea.

Top 10 Favorite Songs of All Time

As I did with my favorite albums of all time, I'm going to have to go in no particular order. I honestly can not decide which one is better or worse, but I can narrow it down to 10 individual songs that I truly love.

Dexy's Midnight Runner – “Come On Eileen” – This is perhaps one of the campiest little ditties of all time. It's silly and I love every second of it. It's hard not to crack a smile when you hear this song, it just can get an entire room to just immediately start singing along as if out of nowhere – it's almost become a universal happy song for generation upon generation. It's great and there's really not much else to say about that.

Jerome Pradon – “Heaven on Their Minds” – The first number from a musical, written for Jesus Christ Superstar by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Pradon's version was for the revival production of JCS by Gale Edwards beginning in 1997 and filmed for television in 2001. The music is wonderful and Pradon's voice is amazing. The reason for its inclusion in this top 10 is not merely the great music and great singing voice – but the passion inherent in the song itself – and in the vocalist. You almost can feel the true strife of the apostle Judas as he realizes that he's afraid of what could happen to his good friend, Jesus, if He continues down this religious path as opposed to the save the poor path he initially viewed His teachings as. It's the incredibly impassioned tale of a man who is worried about the health and life of his good friend – a friend who happens to be the Messiah of the Christian people. The emotion this can evoke in me is amazing and frankly, deserves a spot on the top 10.

Chris Cornell featuring Eleven – “Ave Maria” – This is the type of risks which I really want more artists to take. This is a traditional Christian hymn which has been sung in Latin for centuries. Cornell took that hymn, developed more modern music with the band Eleven, and used an Old English version of the lyrics making it both poetic and more accessible to the average listener to Cornell's work. His voice has such a range and power that you don't hear in most of Cornell's work, both solo and with Soundgarden or Audioslave. It really makes me want to hear him produce an entire solo album of hymns or power ballads – just those because, frankly, it would sound amazing.

Coheed and Cambria – “Wake Up (Acoustic)” – A strange addition to the mix here is the song “Wake Up.” Originally found on the unnecessarily long titled Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Mad, this version was found on the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack. It doesn't steer too far from the original in tune, but in raw emotion evoked by the lyrics it surpasses the original by leaps and bounds. It's a sad song of love expressing how everything that the narrator was, was for this one person and yet, here he am, leaving and there's nothing that can be done because she's just letting him go.

Johnny Cash – “Hurt” – You know, there are a great many amazing Johnny Cash songs out there and yet, I always come back to this haunting cover of the Nine Inch Nails song of the same name. As Trent Renzor said when he heard this version, “This is the way this song was intended to sound.” The hurt in Cash's life from the loss of his wife is heard in every single note of this song. There's such passion in the old man's voice that comes out as he gets out each and every line that has the power to bring tears to a man's eye. It's an amazing track that shows that Johnny Cash never lost any of his talent as he aged, it merely matured and aged with him.

Jay-Z – “Lucifer”– The first hip-hop track on this list. This track is a collaboration between Jay-Z and Kanye West, which shows in the masterfully put together beats that are simultaneously catchy and timeless. The song begins with Jay-Z asking the Lord to forgive him, who's the him? His friend Bob Law, it appears. The entire song discusses the terrible situation that his friend has been in and ends as it begins, asking the Lord to forgive his friend who appears to have recently passed. He says that it was Lucifer, the Morningstar, who truly was the cause of the bulk of this sin that his friend and even he had committed. This song has powerful lyrics that you don't expect from such a source.

The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – “Walk Through the Fire” – Go ahead, laugh and laugh and laugh at the Buffy fan for adding this song to the list. Done laughing at me? Okay, now listen to the song and then decide whether or not you can laugh anymore. Inside the episode, this one song proves to me that Joss Whedon knows how to write music, whether he can admit it to himself or not. This song evokes so much emotion in the scene that can all be heard in the voices of the cast. It's a beautiful collaborative piece that really helps build the climax of the episode, revealing the feelings of each one of the characters through a power ballad. It's great fun and great music all at once – I can listen to this one track over and over and over again and never get sick of it.

Beck – “We Live Again” – I rarely have a clue what Beck is talking about in...well any of his songs. The entire Mutations album is no different – except for the sole fact that it's a beautiful compilation of off-beat music ranging from the huge harpsichord tune listed here to other, folksy songs. As a review from Allmusic.com described this album, “...his best songs are simultaneously timeless and modern.” This track is the perfect example of that.

Traditional – “Battle Hymn of the Republic” – I'm going to be honest, this is one of the first hymns I need to place on here and that I have no idea who I'd post as the artist whom I'd like to hear this from. Perhaps Chris Cornell, in a similar fashion to Ave Maria, who knows. This is just one of those hymns that make me proud to be a Christian and an American simultaneously. It's a wonderful marching tune that puts a smile on my face every time I hear it, either as “John Brown's Body” or as the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” either way I'm happy to hear it.

Coheed and Cambria – “The Suffering” – Another track originally from Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Mad, I find myself surprised that I'm placing this track on here as well. Yet, every time I hear this song I find another layer of it which I fall in love with; be it the amazing progressive chords to the masterful verses which span the genres of progressive rock, emo, and alternative rock. This multi-faceted song may very well be one of the best songs of all time, making me more and more excited to hear new music from Coheed and Cambria. Early music from the band was fun and all, but listening to their second and now third album, you can hear the band's music mature beautifully with this track and “Wake Up” being the culmination of their wonderful new sound that is both larger than life and down to earth at the same time.

Top 10 Songs Soon

I just had an epiphany and the 10th song for my top 10 favorite songs of all time has come into my head. Realizing how often the song itself comes into my head and how much I love it made me realize its place there on the list. I'll need to write this one up and add it to the list which I've been working on for well over a month now. Expect hopefully before the weekend is over.