Back from Vacation!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

Just got back last night from my mondo adventure in Portland/Seattle. Over the next few days I shall be revealing pictures from my journey, thoughts about what I saw/experienced, videos I found with myself on the Intarweb (yay me!), and plenty more! But for now, I have some thoughts on things that I missed commenting on while I was gone.

The New England Patriots: Your Super Bowl XLII Champions!

In record time, the New England Patriots clinched the Super Bowl against the New York Jets, 38-14. Quarterback Tom Brady threw for 297 yards and 3 touchdowns, new receiver Randy Moss received for 183 yards and a TD, and defensive back Ellis Hobbs returned the opening kick of the second half 108 yards to set a record for longest kick return ever. Such illuminaries as Bill Simmons and David Harper have described the victory as a decimation, however this single victory distracts from the point that this is quite possibly the best Patriots team in what has been the greatest dynasty in all sports recent history.

Prepare to see something of this sort in the newspaper four and a half months from now, except replacing the New York Jets with some unknown NFC patsy to be named later. Am I excited about the Patriots chances this year? Yes. Yes. Y-E-S.

3:10 to Yuma

Continuing in what has been an incredible year for movies here to date, 3:10 to Yuma, James Mangold's new Western, is near the top on best films of the year. Not only that, but this solidifies Christian Bale and Russell Crowe at the peak of all actors in Hollywood today and gives Ben Foster a huge boost, as he steals nearly every scene he is in. Plus, beautiful cinematograpy, great action, and the most bizarrely delightful score since Ravenous, and you have yourself my favorite Western since Tombstone.

Y the Last Man #58

Y the Last Man #58 came out this past Thursday. After this little guy, it's just two more issues, one more in this arc and one more to wrap it up. However, master storytellers Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra (best work of her career in this issue, this is breathtaking work) managed to blow the entire thing up in this single issue that may be the single most devestating issue of any comic I've ever read. It's a wondrously tragic chapter in the ongoing epic of Yorick Brown, and it features the most intense panels of any comic, complete with absolutely no text. Fan of art? Pick this up for Pia Guerra's work. Fan of tragic love stories? Pick this up for Vaughan's story. Fan of brilliantly realistic conversation? Pick this up for Vaughan's conversation. Brian K. Vaughan is the most heralded comic writer around anymore, and Y is his greatest creation. This may have surpassed the rest of the issues as my favorite, although it is one that I love and hate at the same time.