MANGA REVIEW: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST

I finished reading an interesting manga: Fullmetal Alchemist! This manga demonstrated one of the grimmest examples of the consequences of meddling with the laws of nature and paying the ultimate price for doing so. The main characters were well-written and the villains, the Homunculi, demonstrated human traits despite not being human. The bond that the Elric brother shared reminded me of the bond I have with my big sister. I also liked the fact that each of the Homunculi represented one of the Seven Deadly Sins and I think the author did a good job interpreting each sin. As for the main villain, Father or Dwarf in the Flask, I found his master plan to be both insanely ambitious and insanely blasphemous. Still, I could understand the twisted logic behind Father’s plan. The one thing that is greater than immortality is godhood because living forever is ultimately pointless unless you have absolute power to back it up. I would recommend this manga to anyone who is seeking a well-written story.

WRITING UPDATE: SEQUEL SERIES (CHAPTER 13)

I have reached the 13th chapter of my sequel series and this is where the action really begins. The reason for this is because it will feature the first of three major conflicts that will take place throughout the first volume. Each of these conflicts will be more brutal than the last and will test the main characters’ limits as superheroes. This first conflict will feature a supervillain who is a “proper lunatic” and I will name him after the most prolific predator on the planet. The second conflict will feature a mercenary who lives for the kill. Finally, the third conflict will feature one of the supervillains who represent the seven deadly sins, but I won’t say which sin they will be up against. Each of these conflicts will take place in vital locations in the futuristic society and the way they will be executed will be similar to terrorist attacks. I look forward to how the story will unfold when the main characters come face to face with their own rogue gallery of supervillains.

WONDERCON 2016

I went to WonderCon 2016 today and it was an absolutely blissful experience. Not only did I acquire a number of prominent graphic novels, but I also met some of my author colleagues from last year as well as several significant individuals from both the superhero genre and comic book industry. The author colleagues I worked alongside with last year gave me advice on how to improve my future book signings and I was invited to become part of a writer’s group in Los Angeles. Among the significant individuals I met was Lou Ferrigno, who is best known as the Hulk! I got to shake Mr. Ferrigno’s hand and the entire experience brought out my inner fanboy and left me emotionally drained afterward. Also, I encountered Marc Silvestri, CEO of Top Cow Productions and creator of Witchblade! Mr. Silvestri and I had a conversation about the anime version of Witchblade and we reached a mutual understanding about the story. Overall, even though I was unable to have a book signing this year, going to WonderCon 2016 as an attendee was a wonderful experience and I hope to sign up for a booth next year.

WRITING UPDATE: A BIG TWIST

I have an interesting idea with the main characters of my sequel series. In order to further tie in the sequel series to my main series, I was thinking of giving the main characters an unexpected connection to the original Young Guardians. I will not reveal what form this connection will take, but it will explain certain aspects of the main characters’ individual powers and personalities. This connection will also make them worthy as the next generation of Young Guardians.

CONCEPT: SUPERHUMAN DRUG

Imagine a drug that could temporarily give you superhuman powers. It is frightening to think of the chaos that such a drug would create if it existed. The reason for this is because it would give its users a rush that would be greater than adrenaline, which would make it dangerously addictive. Also, there would be a psychological effect when the user wields superhuman power for brief periods because it would make them want more and more in a never-ending cycle. It could also give them a superiority complex towards those around them. Just thinking of the greed and destruction that would follow this drug’s creation is frightening to even consider.

CONCEPT: CLONING AND EUGENICS

I had an interesting thought! What if at some point in the future the human race becomes infertile and unable to reproduce? If such an event happens, then humanity would become extinct within a generation unless something is done to solve the problem. How can such a scenario be solved? While contemplating this question, I had a brain wave!

While many people are against cloning, it could be a viable solution at first, but it has a problem of its own. With cloning, the children that are produced would lack genetic diversity because they are carbon copies of the original template. With this in mind, it would be logical to have a system to house the genetic material of enough donors. Then, to guarantee genetic diversity, the genetic material of the donors would be combined to create generation after generation of children who are each genetically unique. In order to provide enough genetic diversity, the system should contain the genetic material of at least ten thousand or more donors.

If cloning is used to ensure humanity’s survival, could it be used for other methods? With eugenics and genetic engineering, you could not only provide genetic diversity, but you could also improve the genetic potential of the children you produce. This could result in the creation of a form of humanity that is at peak human conditioning with ideal health. This could make humans immune to disease and increase their lifespan.

Hopefully, it will not come to this, but if the survival of the species is at stake, what price would you be willing to pay to save the human race?

WRITING UPDATE: SEQUEL SERIES (CHAPTER 12)

The writing process of my sequel series is really heating up! I have written over 20 pages since my last update and it has become intense process. To start, my main character is slowly beginning to overcome his psychological limitations and forms connections with the other characters. One of the characters will be his love interest. Unfortunately, the main character will have an encounter with individuals who covet his power, which will also give him a close encounter with some of the other characters who have taken an unexpected interest in him. Also, another of the main character’s limitations is revealed and this limitation is potentially lethal to him.

I am particularly interested in working on the main character of my sequel series for a number of reasons. To start, due to my autism I occasionally have difficulty forming emotional connections with others. Because of this, I decided to make emotional connections the source of the main character’s powers. Through this project, I hope to experiment with the main character’s psychology because I want to know if I truly understand what an emotional connection is. This makes my sequel series extra special to me apart from it being the next phase of my superhero universe. Because the main character will be one of the most powerful characters I ever created, I wanted to give him limitations that reflect my own. That immense power and potential that the main character wields represent the rewards that one could attain from overcoming their psychological limits.

I look forward to tinkering with this story and seeing how it will unfold. I will keep you updated on any further developments.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN PREDICTIONS

As opening day to Batman v Superman draws closer, I make predictions of what I might expect to see based on what I saw in the trailers. To begin with, I noticed several references to either The Death of Superman and The Dark Knight Returns. With The Dark Knight Returns references, I saw Batman wear the same mechanized suit he used to fight Superman in the graphic novel. With The Death of Superman references, I saw Doomsday appear in the trailers and he is famous for being the only individual who killed Superman without the use of Kryptonite.

While contemplating the outcome of Batman’s fight with Superman, I predict Batman might win because in The Dark Knight Returns, Batman was able to defeat Superman with a combination of a mechanized suit and synthetic Kryptonite. On the other hand, if Batman did not discover Kryptonite in the film’s universe then Superman might win. It could go either way depending on which way the filmmakers take it.

With Superman’s fight with Doomsday, I have multiple predictions. In The Death of Superman, Doomsday could hold his own against the Justice League and Superman literally with one arm tied behind his back. When Superman fought Doomsday alone, Superman was pushed to his limit and they killed each other in a draw. Since Superman will be fighting Doomsday alongside Wonder Woman and Batman, this could be a reference to Doomsday’s ability to fight multiple superheroes simultaneously. As for the outcome of this fight, because Doomsday is capable of killing Superman without Kryptonite I believe something bad will happen to Superman. Because there is a Justice League film planned, I seriously doubt Superman will die. Instead, I think Superman’s fight with Doomsday will result in him being near-death and have a lengthy recovery.

As for Kryptonite, even though there is no direct reference to remnants of Krypton landing on Earth, I think I know how Kryptonite will appear in Batman v Superman. In Man of Steel, General Zod and his followers attempted to terraform Earth into a New Krypton. Even though General Zod failed to completely terraform Earth into Krypton, the parts he did terraform are bound to have Kryptonite deposits in them. This would explain how Lex Luthor and possibly Batman got their hands on Kryptonite, which would put Superman in serious trouble.

A lot of people do not like the idea of Ben Affleck being Batman, but I have seen hints of his performance in the trailers and clips and I see some promise. I admit that when Affleck portrayed Daredevil, I was less than impressed, but he is a much more experienced and refined actor since then so it is too soon to judge him. From what I saw in the trailers and clips, it was as though they literally cast Bruce Wayne to play Batman. They even said that when Affleck has the suit on, his voice will be altered by a synthesizer like Green Arrow’s was in Arrow. This version of Batman is an experienced crime fighter with two decades of experience under his utility belt, which would make him darker, more jaded, and more brutal than the Batman we usually know and love. I look forward to how Ben Affleck portrays the Dark Knight.

Another actor some people have doubts about is Jesse Eisenberg, who will be playing Lex Luthor: “greatest criminal mind of our time!” Some people say his portrayal will be too cartoonish, but I believe there is method to Luthor’s madness for acting like that. A true sociopath would put on a facade that would fool even the most astute individuals like Batman. I think the cartoonish expressions Eisenberg’s Luthor did in the trailers were references to Gene Hackman’s Luthor. Also, I believe that at some point in the film, we will see the true megalomaniacal persona of Lex Luthor. Because the character is traditionally bald, I think Eisenberg’s Luthor will lose his hair at some point.

I look forward to the film and I plan to see it immediately after class on Friday. MAY JUSTICE PREVAIL!!!

POLITICAL PREDICTIONS

I have been monitoring the Presidential Race of 2016 and I have a few predictions about Donald Trump. To begin with, I have noticed that his rallies are becoming increasingly violent. The reason for this is because Trump has instigated bigotry and lured the thugs out into the open, which started when he said he wanted to ban Muslims from entering the United States. Also, Trump has essentially turned the Republican Party against itself, which is evidenced by their determination to bring him down instead of promoting their own campaigns.

Trump himself seems more focused on insulting his rivals and saying whatever pops into his head instead of taking his campaign seriously. He is a businessman not a politician and it looks like thinks he can run this country like one of his corporations. One way or another, he will find out that running a country is a whole new can of worms compared to running a corporation.

Ultimately, I predict that Trump’s involvement in this campaign will have considerable consequences. For example, because so many Republicans are so against Trump winning the Republican nomination, if he wins the nomination he could splinter the Republican Party into different factions. Also, if Trump wins the nomination then Democratic Party is guaranteed to win the Presidency because he has inspired so much negativity both to the public and to political circles.

Worst case scenario, if Trump wins the Presidency then it will be eight years of darkness for America because I believe the violence and bigotry he has instigated could get worse. Plus, Trump’s manners are so bad that he could start World War III while negotiating with another country. Donald Trump is not the President America needs especially with the way the world is now. Just watching the political stage unfold on the news is making me nervous and fearful for this country’s future. God help us all if Trump wins the Presidency.

MY THOUGHTS (PART 9)

As a person with autism, I did not always have control over my condition. Like many people with autism, I had to undergo various forms of therapy and groups to overcome my limitations. However, even though I eventually gained control over my condition, not all of these “specialists” or “groups” have had a positive impact on me. As I mentioned in my 2013 interview with Autism Live, I had unpleasant experiences with people who did not understand how to help me with my condition, which resulted in negative consequences.

For example, when I was a toddler, I was taken to a daycare center who did not employ the friendliest of people. In one instance, when I had an episode in which my autism made me emotionally unstable, two of the teachers dragged me out of the classroom by my wrists and ankles and locked me in a closet. Because of their brutality, I was moved out of that daycare center. All of that happened on the first and only day I was there.

Another example of “groups” that had a negative effect on me was when I joined this group for disabled children while I was in middle school. The lady who ran the group was a cold and unfeeling tyrant who mocked our troubles and emotionally abused us rather than helped us. One time one of the children I was assigned to needed to use the restroom and she refused to let him go because she thought he was trying to avoid the group and by the time the meeting ended he wet himself. In my case, I underwent a severe case of depression and instead of helping me overcome my depression, the lady made an exaggerated, sarcastic impression of me being depressed. Also, she tried to make me speak the way she wanted me to speak because she thought I sounded too smart and mature for someone my age.

While some of the school aides I was provided throughout my academic career were helpful and positive, there were some who saw me as nothing more than a job instead of a person with problems. One aide in particular was an overbearing woman who imposed help upon me when I didn’t need any and complained about every little mistake I ever made no matter how minor and insignificant it was. She never understood what I was going through or how to handle my needs.

Even though these “groups” and “specialists” were unpleasant, I persevered and eventually gained control of my condition and live a relatively average life. In general, these experiences have taught me that if you have a child with autism, it would be wise to check the following qualifications of a group or specialist. Firstly, make sure that the group or specialist in question provides a calm and positive environment rather than a hostile one. Secondly, make sure that the specialist actually understands what they are doing and have what it takes to help your child’s needs. Thirdly, make sure that the specialist sees your child as a person rather than another job. With these qualifications, I am certain you will find the right help your autistic child would need.