theVAULTmagazine ~ Issue 45 by VAULTmedia

theVAULTmagazine Issue #45

The Comic Issue

FREE

The Peace Region's

Alternative

August 2, 2013

Crack the Vault

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

theVAULTmagazine Publisher/Owner: Jenelle Lizotte, Tormaigh Van Slyke Editor: Chris Zwick Social Media/Reception: Mary Warren Logo Design: Michael Boone Layout: Jenelle Lizotte, Tormaigh Van Slyke, Chris Zwick Distribution: DVS, T&J, Chris Zwick, Mary Warren, Cloutier Courier Website Design: Sush Wong & Doug Hurst, Wild Card Technology Solutions Ad Design: Noah McCann, Aimie Williams Ad Sales: Tormaigh Van Slyke, Kari Quinney, Susan Thompson Photography: Jenelle Lizotte, Tormaigh Van Slyke, Mary Warren, Chris Zwick Contributors: Matt Belliveau, Kristal Jones Seth O'Morrow, Drew Rogers, AmberLynn Walker, Mary Warren, Lydia Zilahy, Chris Zwick Comics: CJ Lyons, Fairview; Terry Cameron, Bluesky; Nikki Love, Peace River; Crystal Hansen, Hines Creek; Randee Neumeyer, Vancouver

Cover Art by Mike Roshuk

Issue 45 | August 2, 2013

In This Issue... 05 06 08 10 11

News Flash Gigantour The Columns The Comic Issue How to Draw Anime

15 20 26 28 30

Calendar Artist Feature: Mike Roshuk Reviews Kinsey/Free Will Astrology Comics & Puzzles

Model: Bettina Bareiss

780-624-1985 thepit@thevaultmag.com theVAULTmagazine is available free of charge at over 150 locations in the greater Peace Region every other Friday. We publish 5,000 copies each issue (bi-weekly). We are funded solely through the support of our advertisers, so please support them. theVAULTmagazine is published biweekly by Platoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cave Publishing. No content herein can be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. We accept contributions provided they are the property of the contributor and are offered exclusively to theVAULTmagazine. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of contributed materials and therefore will not be held responsible. All opinions or statements expressed do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or staff. The reader must understand that all information presented in this publication is from various sources, therefore theVAULTmagazine cannot be held responsible for any accuracy, completeness or legalities. Please recycle this fine magazine when you are done with it. We ask that each reader take only one copy, unless you're grabbing one for your friend. That is all.

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Issue 46 comes out Aug . 16 Deadline for advertising is August 12 Advertise today 624 1985

Naemi MacLeod

For all your Jewellery, Watch/Clock, Giftware, Gordon MacLeod Promotional and Trophy Needs. Scratch and Laser Engraving done on site. Box 1150 Fairview, AB T0H 1L0 sandys10@telus.net

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780-835-2575 (T) 780-835-2557 (F)

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theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

News Flash Click here for porn

“Shhhh, I’m hunting UAVs”

Scanned and tracked

The British government has reached an agreement with the country’s largest internet provider to block access to pornographic websites unless the customer officially agrees to remove the filter.

Officials in the tiny Colorado town of Deer Trail are considering issuing hunting licenses for unmanned aerial vehicles, much to the chagrin of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expressed serious privacy concerns this month regarding new technology used by police to scan and track the movement of anyone who drives a vehicle.

While many religious groups have praised the move and claimed moral victory, critics say there is no way to avoid blocking material that is not pornographic in nature. Critics further point to a similar move by the Australian government in 2007, in which a blacklist that was later leaked to the public showed that nonpornographic material was censored intentionally with no explanation.

Deer Trail resident Philip Steel submitted the ordinance, which will go before the town board on Aug. 6, reads: “The Town of Deer Trail shall issue a reward of $100 to any shooter who presents a valid hunting license and the following identifiable parts of an unmanned aerial vehicle whose markings and configuration are consistent with those used on any similar craft known to be owned or operated by the United States federal government.”

Chinese technology company Huawei is behind the filter technology to be employed. The firm has ties to the Chinese military and was accused of spying last year by the United States. Data obtained by The Guardian newspaper showed that 8.5 per cent of every internet click in Britain led to a legal pornographic website, which was third only to YouTube and search engines such as Google, at 15.9 and 9.5 per cent respectively.

Steel says the ordinance is largely a symbolic act to protest a rapidly encroaching surveillance society, but the small town could however benefit from the sale of drone hunting licenses at $25 each. The FAA has responded to the proposed ordinance saying in a press release saying a drone “hit by gunfire could crash, causing damage to persons or property on the ground, or it could collide with other objects in the air. Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could result in criminal or civil liability, just as would firing at a manned airplane.”

The use of automatic license plate readers is becoming more widespread and the information collected is being stored for long periods of time with little or no privacy protections, according to the ACLU. The readers use high speed cameras often attached to bridges and overpasses, or in patrol cars. Software then analyzes the photographs to record the plate number and run it against a “hot list” of vehicles that were stolen or used in the commission of a crime. The ACLU documented the surveillance after gaining access to 26,000 pages of public records belonging to 600 local and state police departments in 38 states. “The documents paint a startling picture of a technology deployed with too few rules that is becoming a tool for mass routine location tracking and surveillance,” the ACLU said in a written statement. ACLU is calling for legislation and advocating strongly against the collection and storage of identifying information belonging to innocent people.

Making the world a greener place Residents and police in the BC city of Saanich, just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island, are trying to figure out the motivation of a guerilla gardener who planted 26 immature cannabis plants along a very public roadway sometime last weekend. Reports of the new greenery showed up on social media on Sunday morning but Saanich road workers noticed the new additions to the landscape last Monday morning and the plants were immediately uprooted when police arrived and positively identified the one-foot-tall plants, each planted one-metre apart in paper bags, saying each mature plant could have been worth $900 “on the street.” City officials and police are confused as to why someone would do such a thing and are trying to figure out whether it was just a joke, or if it was a statement of some sort, according to Victoria News. The gardener could have faced arrest and numerous charges if they had been caught, planting plants.

AB spills weekly Several underground spills at a Cold Lake oil sands operation have been ongoing since May, and there’s not a whole lot anybody can say or do about it. The out-of-control spills at a Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. operation were only brought to light when an unnamed scientist who had been on the site reported his findings to the Toronto Star last week. The public and media have not been able to see the damage for themselves due to the location of the spills on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range. When the spills hit the public spotlight, the company said the situation was under control but the scientist told the Star the site was in chaos and that CNRL was not disclosing the scope of the four spills or the damage they were causing. The company has stated several small animals and birds have died as a result of the spills. The Alberta Energy Regulator ordered CNRL to restrict its steam injections and enhance monitoring at the operations in Cold Lake, and the spills continue to flow.

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theVAULTmagazine 5

LOcal

Gigantour By Jenelle Lizotte

earts are pounding. Adrenaline is pumping. It must be Gigantour 2013 at the Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek. Five bands handpicked by thrash metal pioneer Dave Mustaine of Megadeth and a collection of metal fans of all ages from throughout the region piled into the Encana Events Centre on July 27 to experience the mayhem that is Gigantour. This year’s line up featured 6

Death Division, Hellyeah, Device, Black Label Society, and Megadeth. Notably absent from this leg of the tour was Newsted after the former Metallica bassist had to take a leave of absence after being diagnosed with walking pneumonia days before the show at the EEC. As the venue slowly filled up, a sea of black t-shirts populated the floor, fans found their seats, grabbed some beers and chatted with friends waiting for the pandemonium to begin—anticipating the surge of adrenaline and high-energy

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

music that will cause them to involuntarily thrash around in the pit. The roadie comes on stage to do Hellyeah’s sound check. “Awwwwww YEAH! Fuuuuuuuuck YEAH!” He screams into the mic. “What the hell is this feedback I’m getting over here?” The crowd is ripe with excitement. Hellyeah hits the stage. Chad Gray, Hellyeah (and former Mudvayne) frontman, greets his fans, “DAWSON CREEK, how the fuck are you?” The crowd goes crazy.

It is a sea of fists swaying and moshing to the Band of Brothers super group, with former members of Damageplan, Nothingface and, most notably, Pantera’s Vinnie Paul. Paul keeps throwing his drum sticks out into the crowd while a mob of black t-shirts dive in its direction. When Device takes the stage frontman David Draiman (who used to front Disturbed) bogarts the stage presence with a black, floor-length jacket (and all of the Goths in the crowd collectively cream

their pants). “I know we’re in BC because I can smell that good BC bud,” said Draiman. “I’m getting stoned just standing here.” The metal crowd at this show is surprisingly friendly and cordial. Anyone who came here with any kind of trepidation has nothing to worry about. Anyone who came here with an itch to fight came to the wrong place. Everyone here is amped for a good time. Another surprising thing about this show is how attentive and well trained the

Local

2013 EEC staff is. In contrast to other venues where the staff and security are so worried about fights breaking out that they actually inhibit the fans from having a good time. No, at the EEC the patron’s experience is completely in the forefront. Kudos to them, for real. The security guards weren’t powertripping and the concession staff was friendly right until the last beer of the night was poured. Everyone was having a great time. The staff is truly here to service the patrons. This venue is a concert goers dream.

Considering this all-day event had five different bands, the turnaround time between acts was really quick. You have just enough time to run to the bathroom, have a cigarette and grab a beer before the next band started. As the crowd was waiting for Black Label Society to start, they could barely hold their anticipation. A gigantic BLS flag was draped over the stage as the roadies set up for these metal legends. The lights went dim. The crowd chanted: BLS! BLS! BLS! The flag drops and the

Photography by Tormaigh Van Slyke

speakers blare “Oh Canada.” Slowly the crowd stands for the anthem, by the second verse the entire arena is singing along in unison— truly a patriotic experience.

while Wylde took audience members on an all-inclusive, ten-minute guitar tour through a deranged world of calculated fret work and feedback.

The pit for BLS was not so much a mosh pit but a throbbing mass of human beings getting off to the music. For some, this is the first time seeing their favourite band. For others, this concert is one of many BLS experiences to add to their rosters. Zakk Wylde’s epic guitar solo was the fan favourite. All other band members left the stage

By the time Megadeth was ready to come on stage the crowd had thinned out a bit. Seeming to be a bit out of steam, but this was about to change. Once the band hit the stage, the response was phenomenal. The crowd went crazy— singing along to every song and dancing in their seats.

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Visuals of skulls aflame, demons growling, protests and fat rich dudes laughing flickered behind the metal legends as the diehards in the pit absorbed the experience until the very last chord. A line of cabs were waiting outside as metal heads sporadically poured from the concert doors. The rain was pounding. Fists were pumping. It was Gigantour 2013 at the Encana Events Centre.

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the columns

Goodbye

I am better off without. That’s what I thought this past week, choosing things for my baby’s memorial. I felt like I should have been selecting names, buying onesies, popping prenatal vitamins. I wasn’t doing any of these things because my body had turned coat, had become a traitor and, without the consent of my heart, lost my baby.

By Lydia Zilahy

feel like a woman rendered into pieces and scattered in the dead of night. The pieces of me call to one another in the dark, but they are lost. Some of them, I would leave there to be devoured by blood thirsty animals, even if I had the power to put myself back together. I feel that they are parts of me

I am so wild with grief, I don’t trust these fragmented pieces of self to go out very often. I hear pregnant women complaining about their weight gain and I want to cry and ask them if they know how lucky they are. My social media feeds are full of pregnancy announcements, baby bump pictures and birth announcements. I am so happy for these people—deliriously happy and all at once feel my own loss much more keenly. My body is healing and this should make me happy. I am forever grateful for my daughter and, for her sake, I make every effort to get better. Yet as

test results come in, that my hCG levels are going down from a worrisome high, I feel that yet again my body is betraying me. It doesn’t care that I am not ready, that I keep thinking that I am supposed to be pregnant. It is voiding itself of all evidence that Baby Bear existed. I am resentful. Then there are the dreams. I keep dreaming of my child saying goodbye. It seems Bear is ready to go while I am so ill prepared for this parting. This experience has been overwhelming, more so when people innocently ask “When can you try again?” For some, a new baby is the answer. The notion is that another child will wipe clean my grief. The loss will never go away, even when the immediacy of my grief softens its edge. One baby cannot replace another. The possibility of getting pregnant again in the future is something I hardly dare imagine. It fills me with hope on good days and scares me breathless on others. It is an opportunity for a second child as much as it is a gamble I am terrified will

end in loss once again. The memorial we held was in our home. It was a goodbye with no body, no tombstone and one that some would not acknowledge. How does one remember a baby they never got to hold? To fill this great emptiness, my husband, my daughter and I sent beautiful, sparkly wishes out into the field as the wind blew. We sent our love and regret up to Baby Bear and can only hope the wind was strong enough to carry our voices up high enough to be heard. When we returned from the field, we blew out the candles we had lit and said goodbye. My dreams were now a reality. That’s the power of goodbye; our child had been released. A sense of quiet filled me, the closest I have come to peace in two weeks. Hope comes to me periodically and when it does, I don’t know what to do but hold on for dear life and take one step at a time away from goodbye.

Computer on, brain off advancements in technology have since erased any doubt that computers can dominate humans at chess, and it’s becoming clear that artificial intelligence has much broader applications.

By Matt Belliveau

omputers are getting smarter, and they’re coming for your jobs.

In 1997, an IBM-developed computer known as Deep Blue defeated chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov in a best-of-six regulation match. A frustrated Kasparov accused IBM of cheating— Deep Blue did not act like a computer should—it played like a human, at times better than a human. Rapid

In 2011, a computer called Watson appeared on Jeopardy! and beat two of humanity’s finest trivia nerds by a wide margin. The computer’s grasp of natural language has encouraged some companies to let it handle the phones at their call centres, and in the coming months it is expected to become a fixture in customer service across many industries. Watson also taught itself to diagnose certain types of cancer, and is already being used as a second opinion in hospitals while it continues to absorb medical texts.

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

The gap between artificial and organic intelligence is one that has been closing since calculators saved us from long division in the ‘60s. And that gap is closing faster and faster as each generation of information-processing technology is built with the help of the last. Futurists like Ray Kurzweil believe we’re heading towards the technological singularity—a point where computers become smart enough to create even smarter computers, which could then create even smarter computers, which would quickly drop humans out of the loop while they deal with first-world problems beyond our comprehension. The human brain is estimated to operate at anywhere between 10 to

50 petaflops (each petaflop is equal to a quadrillion mathematical calculations per second). The world’s fastest super-computer can currently handle 33.86 petaflops, and several 100 petaflop models are expected to be released later this year. Replicating the structure of the human brain isn’t as complicated as was once thought—your neocortex is the large, wrinkly portion of the brain that does all the upper-level thinking, and is now believed to consist of one small pattern repeated over and over. Don’t worry though, most predictions don’t expect the singularity to occur until the 2040’s— there’s still time to convince Siri that you’d make a great pet. Even if you’re not convinced

that human dominance is just a phase, it’s hard to argue there’s still only one source of intelligence on the planet. There’s good old, Carbon-based, organic intelligence—on display when an African Bonobo makes a drill out of flint, or a North American human makes a drinking glass out of a mason jar. But there’s also an emerging Siliconbased, artificial intelligenceseen in creepy Japanese sex robots, or driverless cars (now legal in Nevada, Florida, and California). Soon your smartphone will be smarter than you, so why not relax and let computers do the thinking? Speaking of which, you should check your phone, it’s been waiting for you.

the columns

My reflection never says a bad word about me priced women’s fashions—but the way that they pick themselves apart in front of a the fitting room mirror. No matter how confidently her head was held when she walked through the store, no matter how assertively she explained what she was looking to purchase—almost all women revert back to that self-deprecating teenager in front of the fitting room mirror. “My hips are HUGE;” “My calves are saggy;” “I have no boobs, I’m like a man;” “I look like a cow;” “I can not wear pink it makes me look like a pig.” I am certain it’s not just my store either, and likely not just women.

By Kristal Jones

recently began working in a woman’s clothing store and I’ve noticed an alarming behaviour. Our store carries petite, plus and “regular” sizes. We sell clothes and accessories to woman from 16-96 who come from every walk of life. Do you know what they all have in common? Not just a penchant for reasonably

Isn’t it funny how the things we say to our own reflections and accept as fact, are some of the same things we have thrown down with a schoolyard bully for saying, dumped a male chauvinist for implying and would defend a girlfriend to the death should anyone say those things about her? As women, we face pressure from every corner of society to fit a mould that we are all far too intelligent to believe in (to be fair men face pressure

as well, though in less invasive ways). So why do we buckle in front of that mirror? Why do we allow ourselves to sell out and buy into this cookie cutter notion of invisible perfection? Because we are enablers and it has become socially acceptable to treat ourselves with disrespect.

basis, but I don’t play into what they say either. If I could, what I would say is that they should show their bodies the love it deserves, to respect themselves and to take ownership of how wonderful the gifts they have are and not to ever allow anyone to speak about their bodies with such distain.

We have a choice as consumers. When we spend money in stores that don’t carry plus sizes we tell that retailer we don’t mind that they exclude. When we purchase Cosmopolitan magazine, with an airbrushed-to-the-point-ofdisproportion actress on the cover, we tell that publication it’s okay to lie to us. When we are shopping with our girlfriends and we hurl forced compliments to each other to sooth the sting of the insults we have thrown at ourselves, we teach each other that hurting ourselves for the purpose of validation is healthy behaviour.

How marvellous our bodies are, they walk us around, allow us to work, to hold hands, to create works of art, to make babies, to grow them inside of us and to raise them. How do we repay it? By allowing some executive of some company to bully us into believing that all the things we are not, trump all the things that we are. I challenge you to make a pact with yourself, your friends, your family and even with your local sales associate at your favourite retail store that you’re not going to believe the hype anymore. That you’re going to wear what feels good, you’re going to honour your body and you’re never ever going to allow anyone to cause you to doubt how magical you are, head to toe.

I am not allowed to tell my customers what I think of the things they say to their reflections, it would be bad customer service. As a body positive activist this challenges me on a daily

When Famous Superheroes Were Born... Superman

The Flash

Fantastic Four

X-Men

First created in 1933. Sold to Detective Comics Inc. (later DC Comics) in 1938. First appeared in Action Comics #1 in June 1938.

First appeared in Flash Comics #1 in Jan. 1940.

First appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in Nov. 1961.

First appeared in The X-Men #1 in Sept. 1963.

Green Lantern

Hulk

The Punisher

Trivia: Clark Kent, an alter ego not original to the character, is named after Clark Gable and Kent Taylor (actors).

First appeared in All American Comics #16 in July 1940.

First appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 in May 1962.

First appeared in The Amazing Spiderman #129 in Feb. 1974.

Captain America

Spiderman

Watchmen

Batman

First appeared in Captain America Comics #1 in Mar. 1941.

First appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 in Aug. 1962.

First appeared in Watchmen #1 in Sept. 1986.

First appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939.

Wonder Woman

Iron Man

Spawn

Captain Marvel

First appeared in All Star Comics #8 in Dec. 1941.

First appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 in Mar. 1963.

First appeared in Malibou Sun #13 in May 1992.

First appeared in Whiz Comics #2 in Feb. 1940.

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theVAULTmagazine 9

The COmic Issue

Meet theVAULTmagazine comic crew CJ Lyons

Searching Seven Point I started doing this comic with theVAULTmagazine from the inception of the magazine. So far, we’ve done 45 comics together! The very first comic was published with Issue #1, on September 30, 2011. Since then, there has been a Searching Seven Point comic in

Crystal Hansen

Krystal’s Kritters

It has always come naturally for me to draw. And my favorite inspiration has always been pets, their off-the-wall moments of spazzing out or chasing the mysterious red dot. I found it difficult to reveal my drawings to

Terry Cameron The Fogeys

Hello, I’m Terry Cameron and I created The Fogeys comic strip and also write the Homespun Review.

I’ve gotten better at drawing backgrounds. But they’re still pretty wibbly at times. Mostly, the comics are inspired by real life; oftentimes, jokes are wordfor-word part of my life. A bit of a slice-of-life with some paranormal twists when it suits me. Mr. Spider

is a good example of that. The characters of Toby and Cael (blond and spiky guy, respectively) are characters from my original fiction. The comics could be considered some kind of alternate universe thing. Basically, this comic is about video games, love and life of nerds.

the public for fear of criticism that would shoot down my self-esteem, but a year-and-a-half ago, I picked up a copy of theVAULTmagazine to look through, and typical me, straight to the comics page first. Thrilled with the local works of artists, I thought to myself: “If they can do it, why can’t I?” Encouraged, I submitted my first ever comic

strip as a test run. It was published in the following issue.

I must confess I am quite old school and don’t have much to do with all this high tech, high falutin’ stuff. Yup, I am an old fogey. I am also a drummer, a music lover and record collector. (Long live vinyl!)

The Fogeys are T.C., Rayo, and Dusty, who decided to get the old band back together after almost 30 years (Seems to be the fad these days).

Since the first publication, I’ve received positive feedback from readers around the Peace, looking forward to next comic. theVAULTmagazine asked me to continue with my comics and with each submission would donate

So there is some reality mixed with a large dose of comic relief and imagination.

I live in the quiet hamlet of Bluesky with my wife Lynne, who provides insight and encouragement, and our l’il dog Karma.

The inspiration for The Fogeys comes from playing in many a band and many a style since high school and somehow getting older along the way.

Randee Neumeyer

career in writing. She earned a Writing for Screen and Television Diploma at Vancouver Film School, where she also received an award for sketch writing. She writes for a sketch group called Idle Minds, is developing her own web series, and will be performing her first stand-up

show this month.

Stick Life

chronicles of fiction, you can create anything, anyway you want. Hence the name.

By day, I’m a creative writer. By night, I’m asleep. Usually. Words are my play-things, imagination is my adventure buddy and structure—well, personally, I really don’t care much about structure. The best lesson I learned about creative writing was that you can break the rules. And break them, I certainly do. With creative writing, whether it’s comics, commercials or

So, Stick Life. It all started May long weekend, 2012. I was bustin’ the vocals like a rock star as I drove home from camping, smoke wafted through the sky from a nearby forest fire and, as the last wailing words died from my lips, my mind began to wander. Which idea came first— the stick or the fire? I don’t even know. But that was when the

first strip for Stick Life came into being, featuring my stick guys warming themselves around a campfire of… well, sticks.

The Untold Stories of Jesus & Joseph Randee Neumeyer is a comedy writer living in Vancouver, BC. She grew up in Peace River with an affinity for sketch and sitcom television which lead her to a

Nikki Love

every issue. Searching Seven Point refers to something that’s a secret.

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

Ironically, it has been about 25 years since I last wrote reviews and

The Untold Stories of Jesus and Joseph are accentually about how Joseph resents Jesus because he’s not Joseph’s real son. The comic started as a joke on Facebook which became popular with friends. Randee thought

What started out as just one wandering thought eventually evolved into a regular strip that usually incorporates some sort of pun about sticks or play on words. I put myself into that little Stick Life alternate universe, traipse around, and see what I find. It’s the “what if?” question. What if we were all actually stick

There’s a timeline at work too. In the background of quite a few comics, there’s posters of the various nerdy things I happen to be into at the time I wrote the comic. I’d like to thank theVAULTmagazine for publishing my weird comic every issue! Ta!

to the Peace River SPCA on my behalf. The reappearing pets are actual pets in my family: Milo the orange cat, Ta-Da, the long blackhaired cat (appears grey for comic colouring), Alley the Pomeranian, Echo the white dog, and Chance the large beige and white dog.

drew comics. I have to thank our granddaughter CJ Lyons for getting me back into it and theVAULTmagazine for appreciating my efforts, and I hope you enjoy it also. I may soon have an email, but for now you can write me at: Terry Cameron, Box 159, Bluesky, AB T0H 0J0 her Catholic education was useless but now uses her biblical knowledge to write the comics. The comics used to be drawn by an artist friend named Shannon Brown, but now Randee draws them herself.

people? What would we be scared of? What would our names be? Our race? What would happen if we had sex? From there, it usually just unfolds itself. I feel right at home when it comes to cornball comedy and those oh-so-painful jokes that make a person groan. That’s the way it is with Stick Life. Groan or laugh, if I can get some sort of sound out of you, I’ll claim a victory. So, keep on stickin’ it out! (Groan?)

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theVAULTmagazine 11

The COmic Issue

Cultivating a comic book collection By Drew Rogers

he thrill of cultivating a collection of any kind is something many of us first experience as children. No matter the nature of the collection, it brings a sense of pride. Whether it’s the size, or rarity of a particular piece, no two collections are exactly the same. Comic books collections are no different. Some find a connection to a character, especially with more famous titles like Batman or Spider-Man, and it drives them to collect everything even remotely related to that figure. It isn’t always just about completing a collection or owning material objects though; the allure of comic book collecting takes on different forms depending on the collector. In Grande Prairie, Strange Ideas Comics and Collectables is one store feeding local comic book collectors’ appetites.

Mike Gatehouse, the resident comic expert at Strange Ideas, says he started casually reading to get background on his favourite childhood cartoons like X-men and Spiderman. It was when a friend gave him a re-print of Daredevil: The Man Without Fear that his interest was sparked and the need to collect began.

are after a payday.

“Frank Miller, a writer famous for Sin City and other dark series, was given the chance to write Daredevil. I found the story and style of writing captivating, and I wanted to explore everything else he had done,” said Gatehouse.

The grading system is a universal way for collectors to valuate books and set value. With a scale from 10.0 (perfect book) to 0.0 (not really a book anymore) even a difference of 0.2 with higher-end comics can mean a difference of hundreds of dollars in value. Gatehouse warns of purchasing online from the U.S. “If it’s crossing the border, it’s going to get opened and touched and that means it’s losing points on the scale.”

A connection to certain writers or artists can also drive a collector’s impulse. Many will follow them through their careers from series to series, needing to see what they were capable of next. This can take collectors on a wild ride, introducing them to many different characters. This type of collecting is tied to creativity and artistic licence. Others

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

Many things in life are connected to money. Remember that mint condition comic book you got in Grade 3 that Mom threw away? Even if you still had it, there are so many different aspects that make up its value, condition being a huge part.

One has to wonder if it’s worth never being able to touch a comic book to preserve its value. These are stories that should be

enjoyed. The persistence of collector culture has produced a few options to preserve the integrity of a comic while still enjoying the storyline. Similar to buying vinyl records, a digital download code will now allow collectors to “get their hands” on a copy of the same issue on their computer. Also, publishers have taken to releasing “trades,” which are books made up of a series of comics. Not to be confused with the popular graphic novel, these are collections of stand-alone comics opposed to a larger story. Condition is one thing, but the content of the comic can increase its value as well. One of the most valuable books out there is Amazing Fantasy #15. Why? Because it is the premier of one of the most prolific comic book characters, Spider-Man. A copy of this can fetch $1 million on the open market! The internet has brought more regulation to condition grading and pricing for

comic books. It has done away with over inflated prices and taking advantage of less knowledgeable collectors. Although cross border online purchasing isn’t the best route there is still the option to travel to conventions across the world, the most notable being Comic-Con. This provides collectors the chance to search out rare issues, network with other collectors and immerse themselves in the culture of comics. For some the biggest draw is the opportunity to meet the people that are producing the comic books they love so much. No matter the draw, the love of collecting comics can span generations, gender and geography. Collectors have their reasons but are united by the love of this colourful print media. With the ability to consume the imagination and empty pocketbooks of those who fall under their spell, these books have powers. Just like the characters that live on the pages. Photo by Drew Rogers

The COmic Issue

Graphic novels: More than just comics By Susan Thompson

raphic novels could be considered the highbrow cousin of the comic book. Like comics, they tell stories using both text and images. Unlike comics, they’re usually much less about adolescent wish-fulfillment fantasies (in other words, guns, boobs and superheroes) than about difficult topics like the Holocaust, or someone’s mother being diagnosed with cancer, or James Joyce’s daughter going insane helping her father write Finnegan’s Wake. They’ve entered the popular culture and been turned into TV series (The Walking Dead ) and movies (Ghost World, V for Vendetta and The Watchmen). But can graphic novels also be considered “literature”? The first novel marketed as a graphic novel was Will Eisner’s A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories (1978). However, the first American graphic novel was actually most likely It Rhymes With Lust (1950), a thrilling romance/detective story about a very bad woman in a copper mining town. The

story, besides giving the reader a wild and sexy ride, also says a lot about the very adult themes of greed, power, and worker’s rights. For the modern rise of the graphic novel, however, we can in large part thank cult favourite author Neil Gaiman. Gaiman’s first graphic novel was Violent Cases, also the first of many highly successful collaborations with artist Dave McKean. It was followed by their series Black Orchid, published by DC Comics and notable for breaking many of the standard superhero comic tropes. The art itself was a game changer, thanks to McKean’s use of combination of painting, photography, and sculpture. Then there was the heroine, or really, heroines, three incarnations of a woman named Susan, who was killed by her gangster ex and then reincarnated as Black Orchid. It’s an origin story, and a revitalization of an existing DC character, but hardly a usual one. The heroine/ heroines are non-violent, facing violence in a violent world and refusing to back away from it, but without trying to solve it

through more violence. There’s no simple “bam” or “pow” to solve-everything for Black Orchid; instead, the story ends up teaching the reader something about life and human nature, and touches far deeper myths than the DC Comic universe might have ever imagined otherwise. Gaiman’s groundbreaking series The Sandman followed. In the series, Morpheus, or the Sandman, who has control over dreams, has adventures that range from travelling to hell, to helping John Constantine find an old love, to regaining powers from an insane John Dee (aka Dr. Destiny). The novels meld modern comic book characters with far deeper and older mythologies in classic Gaiman style. If people have heard of one thing that Gaiman has done, it’s Sandman, and there’s a reason. The 75 issue series won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and three Harvey Awards. But more importantly, in 1991, The Sandman became the first comic ever to receive a literary award, the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story, for a story that featured Shakespeare and a retelling of A Midsummer Night’s

Dream. It’s pretty hard to get any more literary than Shakespeare. A year later, in 1992, Maus, a graphic novel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, became the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. Maus depicts Spiegelman’s father’s experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor with the Germans drawn as cats and the Jewish people drawn as mice. In fact, it’s so powerful it is making its way into school curriculums in some parts of the world. Next year it will be taught as part of English to Grade 12 students in Victoria, Australia. Catherine Beavis, Professor of Education at Griffith University, was commissioned by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority to write a paper on graphic novels for the VCAA Board to inform the decision making process about what texts to include. Beavis wrote, “First, the graphic narrative now stands alongside plays, poetry and novels as a sophisticated and complex text form worthy of study and close analysis. Second, graphic novels are recognised as unique forms in their own right, with their own forms of logic and organisation

Photo by David Nelson, seattlepi.com

Whether you believe graphic novels are a form of literature or simply literate art, they are definitely not literature’s lowbrow bastard children. Graphic novels are an art form in their own right, and while, like any art form, there are better and lesser examples out there, if you’re dismissing them as nothing more than kids’ comics, you might want to think again. It can easily be argued that graphic novels are rapidly becoming the new literature for the new age, and some of the best, most innovative, and most important stories being told today are being told through the unique format of the graphic novel.

Elderly Canadian superhero Thantos of Vancouver distributes goods to the homeless while in costume.

Phoenix Jones is a mixed martial artist who became inspired to fight crime when he started seeing Seattle in a darker light. Since developing his alter-ego and costume, Jones has claimed to have been stabbed, had his nose broken, and had a gun pulled on him. He has reportedly stopped vehicle theft, intervened in bar

In 2012, two graphic novels were also shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards for the first time. Mary Talbot’s Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes graphic novel won the Biography Award. Her husband, the book’s illustrator, said, “It is a good thing for graphic novels as a whole…. Graphic novels are becoming increasingly accepted as a legitimate art form.”

candidate for the United States presidential election and held mock campaigns.

Real life superheroes eing a masked vigilante can be rough. It’s not nearly as cool as movies like Batman or The Avengers would have you believe. It’s gritty, generally illegal, and potentially suicidal. A quick YouTube search reveals multiple instances where masked individuals are actively attempting to keep the peace on the streets when the police may be unavailable to immediately assist. Here are a few modern day superheroes patrolling streets around the world:

which differ significantly from both print based genres and from film.”

brawls, apprehended violent suspects, and prevented intoxicated individuals from driving home. Despite his good intentions Jones has faced criticism from local authorities and some of the individuals he has encountered, in particular for his use of pepper spray. Mexican Superbarrio’s methods are far more satirical and politically motivated. He is an activist who fights crime and corruption by organizing labour rallies, petitions and protests. In 1996 he declared himself a

Captain Australia took a vow to clean up the streets of Brisbane. He has reportedly prevented sexual assault and patrols the streets at night, ready to triumph over evil. Despite this, his main goal is to inspire people to stop being apathetic. The police are unimpressed by his antics and have stated he should leave the crime fighting to the professionals. Purple Reign’s primary colour of purple is used as a symbolic message of her support for domestic violence awareness and anti-bullying campaigns. She is often the brains behind Phoenix Jones’ team called the Rain City Superhero Movement but can also hold her own while patrolling the streets. She has been honoured as a “woman of courage” for her work and dedication to women’s social and political issues.

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theVAULTmagazine 13

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

Upcoming Events add your event to the Community Calendar. It' s Free! email the details to Events@thevaultmag.com Friday

August 2 F GORDON MACKAY SHOW & SALE (Art) - Fairview Fine Arts

Centre Aug 2 - 31 - For more info call 780-835-2697.

HINES CREEK COMMUNITY REUNITED SCHOOL REUNION AND HOMECOMING (Community) - Hines Creek Aug 2 - 5 - For more info email hinescreek2013@gmail.com or call Angie at 780-568-4762

G 57th ANNUAL NORTH PEACE STAMPEDE (Rodeo) - Lac

presentations. Participation by donation.

Saturday

August 3 P

G 57th ANNUAL NORTH PEACE STAMPEDE (Rodeo) - Lac

Cardinal Sports Grounds Aug 2 - 4 - Afternoon and evening performances. Local team roping, barrel racing, chuckwagon, thoroughbreds and chariots. Adults $25/day, Youth 6-12 $15/ day. Includes pro rodeo and evening show. BLACK AND GOLD BARREL RACING (Rodeo) - Swartzy Events Centre (22km E of Fairview on Hwy 22) Aug 3 - 5.

UFC 163: ALDO VS. KOREAN ZOMBIE (Sports) - Rivers Bar and Grill - $10 cover. Free buffet with entry. PEACE RIVER FARMERS MARKET (Community) - Senior Citizen's Drop In Centre 10 - 1pm - For more info call Denis at 780-618-3640 or visit www.peaceriverfarmersmarket.com 5th ANNUAL HINES CREEK STREET FESTIVAL (Community) - Hines Creek Main Street ~ All Day - Parade, pancake breakfast, bouncy castles, show and shine, food booths, activities for the young and old! For more info call Barb at 780-835-1505.

Sunday

August 4 H

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AMPHITHEATRE ENTERTAINMENT (Community) - Historic Dunvegan Park 2pm - Historic and interactive dramatic

HERITAGE DAY (Community) - End of Steel Museum and Park - Entry by donation. For more info call 780-494-3522.

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theVAULTmagazine 15

Berwyn/Brownvale

High Prairie H

Cadotte Lake

Hines Creek H

DIXONVILLE

Falher

Fairview

Girouxville

Peace River P

Grimshaw

St. Isidore S

Nampa N Manning M McLennan M

Upcoming Events tomrichardsonproject.com or bennywalkermusic.com

Sunday

August 4 (Cont.)

G 57th ANNUAL NORTH PEACE STAMPEDE (Rodeo) - Lac

BLACK AND GOLD BARREL RACING (Rodeo) - Swartzy Events Centre (22km E of Fairview on Hwy 22) Aug 3 - 5. ANNUAL FRESH AIR MARKET (Community) - Historic Dunvegan Park 11-5pm - Shop for gifts, jewelry and other treats all handcrafted by Peace Region artisans. Costumed interpreters will be offering tours of historic buildings. Adults $3, Seniors $2, Youth $1.50, 6 & under FREE.

Monday

August 5 P

HERITAGE DAY (Community) - Peace River - For heritage day the museum will be offering heritage walking tours: 11am at Mt. Pleasant Cemetary, 1:30 at 102 St. and 1-4 at the NAR Station. For more info visit peacerivermuseum.blogspot.com

G FREE SWIM (Community) - Grimshaw Pool - Family Swim

1-2pm, Public Swim 2-5pm - For more info call the pool at 780-332-4010.

BLACK AND GOLD BARREL RACING (Rodeo) - Swartzy Events Centre (22km E of Fairview on Hwy 22) Aug 3 - 5.

Tuesday

August 6 P

TOM RICHARDSON AND BENNY WALKER LIVE (Music) - Java Domain 7pm - $10. For more info visit

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

7th ANNUAL DARE TO DREAM DRAMA CAMP (Youth) - St. Paul’s United Church Aug 6-9, 10-4:40pm - For ages 8-14. $40. For more info call Andrea at 780-835-3672.

Wednesday

August 7 P

FREE QUIT SMOKING SESSION (Well Being) - Addiction Services (Provincial Building) 9-10am - No registration required. For more info call 780-624-6193.

Saturday

August 10 P

NORTHERN SUNRISE COUNTY HERITAGE DAY EVENT (Community) - Cecil Thompson Park 10-4pm - Live entertainment, heritage and cultural booths and activities, Peace River Farmer’s Market. For more info call Paisley Le Blanc at 780-624-0013.

G PIONEER DAY (Community) - Lac Cardinal Pioneer Museum

- Pancake breakfast from 8:30-10:30, Parade at Noon, Events, food and more! For more info call Joyce at 780-597-3924 or Evelyn at 780-332-4980.

Monday

August 12 G SUMMER ART CAMP (Art) - Stroke of Genius (4903 Railway

Ave.) Aug 12-16 from 10-12pm - Hosted by the Lac Cardinal Peforming Arts Society and the Berwyn Backdoor Painters. Instructor Sara Jessing. Drawing, painting and pastels. For ages 10 - 16. $100 (includes materials). To register call Peggy at 780-219-1285.

(cont.)

tuesday

August 13 G LATE NIGHT SWIM (Community) - Grimshaw Pool 7-10pm - For

more info call the pool at 780-332-4010.

G SUMMER ART CAMP (Art) - Stroke of Genius (4903 Railway

Wednesday

August 14 G SUMMER ART CAMP (Art) - Stroke of Genius (4903 Railway

Thurday

August 15 G SUMMER ART CAMP (Art) - Stroke of Genius (4903 Railway

tHE rEGULARS Mondays P PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St.

James Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed. Call 780-618-8726.

P DROP IN MEDITATION (Well-Being) - Zen Spa - Tea

ceremony at 5:30pm. Meditation starts at 5:45pm. Meditation is timed for 45 minutes. No experience necessary. Loonie Donation. Every Monday barring holidays. For more info email peacezenspa@ hotmail.com

P NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - Peace River

United Church 7pm - Every Mon and Fri. For More Info call 780-219-1485.

Multiplex 6:30-8:30pm. G ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH MEETINGS (Community) - Legion Hall 7:30pm - 2nd Tues. of the Month. C C

P GUIDED TOUR OF NAR STATION (Community) -

9409 100 St. 1-4pm (Until Aug 22). For more info call the PR Museum at 780-624-4261.

N PARENTS & TOTS (Family) - Nampa Municipal Library 10-11:30pm - For more info call 780-322-3954. F TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - Fairview Fine Arts

Centre 7:30-9pm. Beginner classes. For more info call 780-494-3410 or visit taoist.org

G FREE PUBLIC SWIM (Community) - Grimshaw Pool 2-5pm (until Aug 19) - Children under 6 must be with an adult. For more info call 780-332-4788 or 780-332-4010.

Tuesdays

PARENTS & TOTS (Family) - Mamowintowin Hall 2-3pm - Every 1st & 3rd Tues.

D DIXONVILLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY OPEN

(Community) - Dixonville Library 3:30-6:30pm - Stop in for a complimentary coffee while you browse for books.

College 7pm - Drop-in fee $7.50

D TINY TOTS PLAYGROUP (Family) - Dixonville Curling Rink 10-11:30am - Everyone welcome! For more info call 780-971-2258.

Wednesdays PEACE RIVER 124 AIR CADETS (Community) - Al P Adair Rec Centre 6:30-9:30pm - For youth 12-19. To learn. To serve. To advance. For more info call 780-618-5277. P

PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St. James Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed. Call 780-618-8726.

P SUMMER READING CLUB (Youth) - Sugarplum

AL-ANON (Self Help) - St. Paul’s United Church P (upstairs) 7:30pm - Support for friends and families of alcoholics. For more information call Sharon at 780-624-8778.

P CREATIVE CAMP: ART SESSIONS (Youth) - Peace River Library 3-6pm.

P SUMMER READING CLUB (Youth) - Peace River

Daycare 1-3pm.

G BINGO (Community) - Grimshaw Legion Hall - Doors open at 6pm, Bingo at 7pm.

P CREATIVE CAMP: ART SESSIONS (Youth) - Peace

G BOOK BUGS (Family) - New Horizon Centre 1011:30am - FREE program for children ages 0-6. For more info call Tracey at 780-835-3273.

P TAKING OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY (TOPS) (Fitness) -

F Alcoholics Anonymous (Self Help) - St. Helen Anglican Church, Fairview 8pm.

P PEACE CHALLENGERS TOASTMASTER CLUB (Self

EDUCATIONAL WOMEN'S GROUP (Women) F Crossroads Resource Centre 10:30 - Noon - Become Self-Aware, build resilience and self image. Group runs from April to June.

Library 11-12pm & 1-2pm - Free to register. River Library 3-6pm.

Lutheran Church (9722 84 Ave) 6:30pm - A weight loss support group. Weigh in Tuesdays. For more info call 780-624-4159.

Bring Your Own Board. Come out and start a game, join one, or just hang out. Open until 9pm. Try the special last night menu!

P SUMMER READING CLUB (Youth) - Peace River

Library 11-12pm & 1-2pm - Ages 7-9. Free to register.

P CREATIVE CAMP: WRITING SESSIONS (Youth) -

Help) - Northlands Sch. Div. (9809-77 Ave) 7:30pm - Learn to speak with confidence & professional leadership skills. Every Tues. For more info call Cindy 780-624-4890.

C SENIOR'S SOUP AND BANNOCK LUNCH (Community) - Mamowintowin Hall 2pm - $3. For more info or for a ride call 780-629-2476.

G TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church 7-8pm - Beginner & Continuing. For more info call 780-835-4642 or visit www.taoist.org

C YOUTH GROUP (Youth) - Mamowintowin Hall 4-5pm - Games, crafts & more. For ages 5-9. For more info call 780-629-2476.

Greene Valley Apts. 1-3pm.

P FRENCH SUMMER READING CLUB (Youth) - Peace

River Library - 1-2pm: Ages 4-7, 2-3pm: Ages 8-12.

P CREATIVE CAMP: WRITING SESSIONS (Youth) -

Peace River Library 3-6pm.

P FREE MOVIE (Film) - Peace River Library 6-8pm. P NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - Peace River

United Church 7pm - Every Mon and Fri. For More Info call 780-219-1485.

Peace River Library 3-6pm.

P FREE MOVIE (Film) - Peace River Library 6-8pm. P ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - St. Paul’s

PEACE RIVER SOUP KITCHEN (Community) - St. James Cathedral 12-1pm - Volunteers Needed. Call 780-618-8726.

THURSDAY MORNING COMMUNITY COFFEE PARTY

P GUIDED TOUR OF TWELVE FOOT DAVIS

United Church. 8pm - Every Tuesday and Thursday.

P (Community) - St. Paul's United Church 10 - Noon.

FAIRGROUNDS (Community) - Fairgrounds Rd off Hwy 2 South 1-4pm (Until Aug 22). For more info call the PR Museum at 780-624-4261.

FREE! Everyone Welcome.

P GUIDED TOUR OF ST. AUGUSTINE MISSION

(Community) - Shaftesbury Trail River Lot 22 Hwy 684 10-1pm (Until Aug 22). For more info call the PR Museum at 780-624-4261.

M SMOKY RIVER KARATE CLUB (Lifestyle) - McLennan Elk's Hall 6-8pm - First week is free!

P ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - St. Paul’s

United Church. 8pm - Every Tuesday and Thursday.

P BOARD GAME NIGHT (Community) - Java Domain -

WOMEN'S NIGHT (Community) - Mamowintowin Hall 7-9pm - Crafts, exercise & discussion.

C YOUTH GROUP (Youth) - Mamowintowin Hall 4-5pm - Games, crafts & more. For ages 5-9. For more info call 780-629-2476.

P YANG STYLE TAI CHI (Fitness) - Northern Lakes

Thursdays

P BOOK MOBILE (Community) - Heritage Towers and

P GUIDED TOUR OF MACKENZIE CAIRN (Community)

- Shaftesbury Trail River Lot 19 Hwy 684. 2-4pm (Until Aug 22). For more info call the PR Museum at 780-624-4261.

G ROLLER DERBY (Fitness) - Mile Zero Regional Multiplex 6:30-8:30pm G ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION LADIES AUXILLARY (Community) - Royal Canadian Legion #253 7:30pm. 1st Thurs. of the Month. G TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church 7-8pm - Beginner & Continuing. For more info call 780-835-4642 or visit www.taoist.org

H MOVIES & POPCORN AT THE LIBRARY (Film) - High

Prairie Library 3:30-5pm - Everyone welcome. For more info call 780-523-3838.

H CRAFTS AT THE LIBRARY (Youth) - High Prairie

Library 2-4pm - Ages 7-12. For more info call 780-523-3838.

N CRIBBAGE (Community) - Nampa Legion 7:30pm Everyone Welcome.

Saturdays G ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Self Help) - Grace United Church. 8pm - Every Saturday. D DIXONVILLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY OPEN

(Community) - Dixonville Library 10-4pm - Stop in for a complimentary coffee while you browse for books.

F DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYGROUP (Family) - United

Church Basement 1-2:30pm - Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Social Skills, Healthy Snacks, Music and Crafts. Every Thursday.

D DIXONVILLE MUSEUM OPEN (Community) -12:30-

2:30pm - Until Aug. - Stop in and enjoy local history and culture.

F TAOIST TAI CHI (Well-Being) - Fairview Fine Arts

Centre 7-9pm. Continuing Practice. For more info call 780-494-3410 or visit taoist.org

M SMOKY RIVER KARATE CLUB (Lifestyle) - McLennan Elk's Hall 6-8pm - First week is free! C

YOUTH GROUP (Youth) - Mamowintowin Hall 4-5pm - Ages 10-14. Games and Crafts.

C ELDER'S TEA & SOCIAL (Community) Mamowintowin Hall 2pm - Last Thurs of the Month. For more info call 780-629-2476.

P Alcoholics Anonymous (Self Help) - Peace

River Community Health Centre (Boardroom) 8pm.

P GUIDED TOUR OF ST. AUGUSTINE MISSION

(Community) - Shaftesbury Trail River Lot 22 Hwy 684 11-3pm (Until Aug 22). For more info call the PR Museum at 780-624-4261.

G BINGO (Community) - Grimshaw Legion Hall Afternoon Bingo: Doors open at 1pm, Bingo at 2pm. Evening Bingo: Doors open at 6pm, Bingo at 7pm.

Fridays P

Sundays

SUMMER READING CLUB (Youth) - Peace River Library 11-12pm - Ages 10-12.

D DIXONVILLE MUSEUM OPEN (Community) -12:30-

G ROLLER DERBY (Fitness) - Mile Zero Regional www.thevaultmag.com

2:30pm - Until Aug. - Stop in and enjoy local history and culture.

theVAULTmagazine 17

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

The COmic Issue

By Lydia Zilahy

hey are oh-so beautiful. They have bodies that would make Barbie diet and hit the gym. They are female superheroes. Of this glamorous caste, think of Wonder Woman. Her raven hair has bounce and shine as she fights crime. Regardless of the time of the month, she dons her teeny, tiny spandex booty undies, no glimpse of maxi pad wings or tampon strings. Her most admirable quality: she never leaves the house without lipstick and her golden lasso. There may be some comic book heroines that have attempted to break this mould. Sure, the She-Hulk is known for her intelligence... and her luscious green body. Her creators, Stan Lee and John Buscema, must be revered like Hugh Hefner somewhere out there by the Jolly Green Giant. Way to smash stereotypes. It has been 18 years since the movie Tank Girl was released, Americanizing the alternative comic created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin featuring a title character with substance abuse issues, sexual inclinations that would make Wonder Woman’s hair frizz and an arsenal that could blow the Bat Cave to smithereens. Sure, Tank Girl is a bit of an anarchist, extremely violent and she does wear skimpy clothes. Addressing those issues, let’s start with anarchy: she lives within a completely controlled society and is labeled as an outlaw for refusing to have every aspect of her life dictated to her. The violence portrayed in Tank Girl only appears outrageous because readers seldom see women engaging in action on this level. Would it be more radical to create a comic with no violence? Certainly, but what kind of audience would there be for a comic about an average 32-year-old woman with cellulite no amount of Pilates can

Beyond Wonder Woman

get rid off? Yeah, exactly.

Then there are the clothes. They might be scanty but they enhance the message of Tank Girl. Unlike the carefully put together costumes of other female superheroes, Tank Girl dresses herself in fantastic scraps, odds and ends, occasionally even weaponry. It is a visual reminder that she is not like the others, she is not there to look pretty and save the world. Saving the world might be on the agenda, but so is sex, drinking, smoking and flipping the bird to all the carefully crafted women in capes that came before Tank Girl. Having shiny, beautiful, long hair is such an integral component of the female sex-symbol. Hair is one of the comic’s strongest statements—other than giving their heroine an actual tank as a home. No lustrous, long locks here. Tank Girl has a mostly shaved head and the strands of hair she has left can be any colour on any page. It’s exciting to read about Tank and her sidekick, Jet Girl, as they stomp around in big boots and bras, blow things up and then call it a day with an orgasm or two. It’s exciting because the lives of other heroines seemed so tightly wound. Tank Girl isn’t a wife, whose power is to become invisible (of all things) like the Fantastic Four’s Sue Richards. She doesn’t have to hold a “day job” the way Jennifer Walters, also known as the She-Hulk does. Tank Girl doesn’t have any powers, she doesn’t come from an Amazon species as Wonder Woman does. If she steals something, it is usually because it goes ka-boom and not because it is pretty which is all the motivation Cat Woman needs. It is a bit depressing that 18 years after Tank Girl became so mainstream, few have pushed the envelope any further. It’s really exasperating that Archie’s Betty and Veronica are still fighting over one guy, we now have lesbian, gay and transgender heroes (if

a minority) and more variety than the average white-guy superhero and yet the growth of women as characters in comics is still so stunted. Want to run screaming from this scene but still love comics? There are some glimmers of hope out there. In 2007, Gail Simone took over Wonder Woman (thank goodness!). With Simone on board, DC’s Birds of Prey is new territory without some of the most annoying stereotypes. Ross Campbell developed female-centred work—most notably Wet Moon, which

just might make Tank Girl proud. Walk away from Archie, please. Better yet, write to Archie Comics and ask them to change the story line: Betty and Veronica complete their educations, get jobs and tell Archie to take a long walk off a short pier. Send them pictures of an alternate universe in which Betty and Veronica live in a tank. All Archie cracks aside—expect more from your favourite comics. Strap on your biggest, baddest boots and take back the pages ladies.

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theVAULTmagazine 19

Artist Feature

Mike Roshuk: Comic By Susan Thompson

eace River-born and Edmonton-based comic artist and illustrator Mike Roshuk has been creating his own comics for over two years by adding digital art to photographs of real people. Now his Warrior Princess series of reimagined Disney Princesses in sexy armour has gone viral, launching Roshuk to a new level of international prominence. “I’ve always been involved in design, since going to art school after high school. I’ve always been into comics. When I was younger I would draw comics just for fun,” Roshuk told theVAULTmagazine in a phone interview. “A couple of years ago, I had the idea I wanted to start a comic book. I had an idea and story in mind. I got into photography, and I got the idea; why don’t I make a comic using real models, combining them with illustration? No one has really done that before.” His biggest influence was his older brother’s Heavy Metal magazines, which Roshuk says he started reading at the tender age of seven. “I guess I’ve never really been into the whole stereotypical Superman, Supergirl superheroes wearing underwear on top of clothes. I’ve always been into something darker and edgier,” he said. Although Roshuk sent his comic The Adventures of Cami to print first, he has been working on Conflict, a series set in a future where men are going extinct, for about three years. Conflict took roughly 600 hours of work just for the first issue. “I realized this is why it hasn’t been done before—because it’s a lot of work!” Roshuk said. “Every frame of every scene is shot. I get the whole story written, sketch out the whole story board, and then have models come in and tell them for this frame, look to your left, someone is talking to you; or here’s a broomstick, pretend it’s a sword and you’re fighting a monster.” Although Roshuk says he has a fairly simple home studio setup and his photography skills are mainly only focused on taking clear, in focus shots, it hasn’t been a problem finding models willing to star in his comics.

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

Emma Frost image Model: Bettina Bareiss

“One thing I’ve been really surprised at is how many hot nerds there are out there!” he laughed. “A lot of models I’ve worked with are fashion models who have modelled internationally. I’ve emailed them or they’ve emailed me and been really excited about doing something like this. A lot really just like having versatility in their portfolio.” Once Roshuk has the photographs he needs, he then creates everything from fantasy armour to his background scenes to a composite monsters using Photoshop. His editing skills come from his long experience as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. “For over 12 years I’ve spent six to eight hours a day in Photoshop,” he said. A single image, such as an image for a print, can take 10 to 40 hours of editing. His image of Super Girl and Wonder Woman trying to save a city in ruins, for example, took 40 hours to complete. Roshuk used Google street view as a photo reference for the background. His background scene in his version of Beauty and the Beast was based on images of Gaston’s Tavern at Disneyland, shot during a family trip, and her “beast” was created from images of fur, wolves, and lions paws. Roshuk says his use of Photoshop also allows him to produce higher-quality costuming for his characters than he could get using cosplay outfits. “With my images, I always wanted something that looks a bit more high-end or real, like movie quality, but obviously you can’t go out and buy a $20,000 Hollywood quality outfit, so that’s why I draw it on afterward.” In fact, it was the armour on his version of the Disney Princesses from Ariel to Jasmine that caught the internet’s attention. And it was all thanks to the haters. “Their belief is I am over-sexualizing the princesses. I’m objectifying them. They say, ‘This armour is not going to protect them, it’s more for sexualizing them.’ Of course the armour is not supposed to protect them. Comics have always been a fantasy, since the ‘70s that has always been the comic book style,” Roshuk said. “The great thing about those people, is those are the first ones to share

Ariel Image Model: Savana Hume

Mike Roshuk

Artist for a Digital Age it and reblog it. They get so offended they say, ‘I need to share my rage.’”

front of even more people who liked them.

•

“That was kind of crazy. It came out of nowhere,” Roshuk said. “I started getting a couple emails of people seeing it. Then I found the images in Tumblr and they had about 3,000 notes, meaning that many people shared it or re-blogged it. I’m like okay, that’s weird. I didn’t grasp the whole Tumblr concept. Then within hours the notes went up to 4,000, 6,000 and over 7,000. I start seeing them pop up everywhere. Within a week and a half it was 200,000 people and I’m still finding it.”

For over 12 years I’ve spent six to eight hours a day in Photoshop • All that sharing and re-blogging made the images go viral, getting them in

Calgary city image Supergirl model: Michelle Molineux Wonder Woman model: Nica Stone

Roshuk has now been contacted for interviews from as far away as Spain, and has been officially invited to the Comic-Con in Edmonton and has received several new commissions. He’ll also be at the fan expo in Toronto next month, the largest convention in Canada. However, even with all of his

new success, he is not quite at the point yet where he is able to make drawing pictures people can appreciate his sole income. “I’ve got some other ideas and plans in the works, I just have to see where it goes from here. It’s like a long trip up,” he said. “With the images that went viral, that was a nice couple of weeks, but I’ve still got a long way to go.” Roshuk is also never afraid to give tips, tricks and advice to other artists. “I always try to tell them the secrets. I try to share as much knowledge as I can, because if I was in their position I would want to learn.” His biggest advice to those who want to follow in his footsteps and build a career in the arts is to be prepared to be diverse. “If you want to have a career in the

arts, to have a good income, you need to be a jack of all trades,” he explained. “The reason I was able to make a successful living as a freelance designer was because I did illustration, graphic design, web design, and marketing. If I only wanted to concentrate on sexy warrior women—no.” Projects like his comics are what have allowed Roshuk to exercise his artistic freedom and truly show what he can do. “Working for a client, if I do something so creative and love it, the client is paying the bill so they may say ‘I love it but change this and change this and change this.’ You have to swallow your pride and say okay, even if it’s not as nice. It can be hard to take. So you do creative projects for clients for money, and let them control you, but then do your own creative projects,” said Roshuk.

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The COmic Issue

the peace region’s

stephen notley & bob THE ANGRY FLOWER BY CHRIS ZWICK

ave you met Bob? He’s been inhabiting the back pages of various alternative rags for two decades now, sounding off on various issues of significant social importance and sometimes going off about what seems like nothing at all. Bob’s a flower, and he’s pissed. Since 1992, Peace Region bred cartoonist Stephen Notley has turned Bob the Angry Flower into a prolific piece of alt comic history. How did he do that? “It’s fun to do work. The nice thing about comics is that it’s an art form that has limitless potential for expression. You can basically make a little movie and you don’t need tens of thousands of dollars, you just need to sit your ass down and write and draw,” Notley told theVAULTmagazine by phone from Seattle last week. As a semi-famous alt comic creator, Notley is a fixture at Comic-Con, and this year was no different at the San Diego event that took place in July. This year he was doing more 22

than selling Bob the Angry Flower wares though; he was asked to discuss the very topic of his success on the Monsters of Alt Comics panel with other semi-well-known comic artists. “We got to jaw about what it has been like crawling around the fringes of the comics biz in this alt world, and the fact that we’ve all been in it for 20 plus years, and talk about what it takes to do that in the long run. The cartoons from all four of us are very much about a distinct personal perspective on things and having the willingness to go for it even if it’s not the most remunerative, and just being able to follow our own interests,” he said. So what could a walking, talking flower be so pissed about? Where do 20 years worth of comic ideas come from? “I’m not as political as I once was. I’ve been looking over the most recent batch of comics since the last book and I did a lot of comments on particular movies and elements of internet culture and that kind of thing. It’s commentary, and that’s

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

what Bob has always been, just commentary on whatever was of interest to me at the time, or whatever is on my mind at the time,” Notley said. “It’s a very good source of self-therapy in that if something is gnawing on my brain I can sit down and put three or four hours into putting it onto the page and that allows me to purge.”

Drawing Bob is pretty far from a full-time job though. Notley is currently working for PopCap Games in Seattle, writing dialogue for the various video games produced by the company. PopCap creates multi-platform-based games, some of which you may recognize from the web, or

your smartphone—Bejeweled, Bookworm, Plants vs. Zombies. He was initially approached by a university friend to write the PopCap newsletter and is now writing dialogue as well, and even creating and testing levels. Between fiddling with the video games and spending time at the bar down the street, one might think Bob might has become an after-though for Notley, but he continues to put out a new cartoon every week and distribute them across the continent, and he can’t foresee a time when he might ever quit Bob. “Bob is very close to my sense of identity, so it’s always something that is always still going. It will always still go as long as I’m around. When the day eventually comes when they boot me out of PopCap, or my muse expires, I’ll have it there, and that will be the time to gear back up again,” he said. If you recognize the Notley name, you have good reason, he grew up in Fairview. Stephen’s father was the leader of the provincial New Democratic Party from 1968 until his

death in 1984, representing the Spirit River-Fairview constituency, which is now known as Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley. Stephen’s sister Rachel carried on in the NDP tradition and is currently MLA for the Edmonton-Strathcona riding. “Growing up as the son of Grant Notley, who was obviously a very NDP guy in a very conservative province, and in a very conservative part of that province, my political leanings are quite left-wing and New Democrat but at the same time I’m still Albertan at heart. I like a good barbeque and I like sitting around drinking beers around a fire in the backyard. I find the hoser culture appealing,” he said of his upbringing in northern Alberta and how it influenced his path in life. That contrast has been a good thing for his work, he says. “Mixing different sensibilities is a good way to begin to find your own voice and be inspired to strike out on your own and make sense of the world around you.”

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Cod au Gratin

RAVES

Note: I’ve taken a few liberties with this recipe. I was taught to make it a bit differently when I was living in Newfoundland. No, it’s not going to taste super authentic, but it’s pretty damn good. Enjoy!

You’ll Need: ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠ ♠♠

2 lbs of cod 3 tbsp butter 3 tbsp flour 2 1/4 cups of milk 1 medium onion, diced 4 cloves of garlic, minced Salt and pepper 3 cups of cheddar cheese

*4 individual ramekins or small oven proof dishes

love sushi...I have made a point of finding excellent sushi restaurants first in Edmonton then in Grande Prairie and later in Whitecourt. I thought that I had sussed out all the likely places north of Edmonton. I was wrong! There is sushi in Manning—yes Manning! It is in the restaurant located in the Old Aurora Hotel–-even more surprising. When I saw the sign

in the window a month ago indicating that sushi was on its way, I made a mental note to try it out. Two weeks ago I did just that. I ordered a Caterpillar Roll and a Nigiri Combo. What a treat!!! The next treat was at the till. This meal for two was $25. Very reasonable and in fact cheaper than Grande Prairie, Whitecourt and Edmonton. The price is similar to what you would pay in Victoria at a

reasonably priced restaurant. Since my initial visit I have been back twice. I will likely have to wean myself off of such frequent excursions however I foresee a lot of sushi in my future. If you are a sushi lover, please support this restaurant so the service stays in our community. ~ Carol V.

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Directions: 1. Cook your cod until flaky (I baked mine in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until it flaked easily with a fork. 2. Flake up your fish with a fork and set aside. 3. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add flour when butter is melted. When flour and butter is well mixed, add the milk. A few minutes later, add the onions, garlic, and salt and pepper. Keep on the heat until it is thick and bubbly, stirring frequently. 4. When your sauce is done it’s time to start layering. Layer in each ramekin or oven proof dish: sauce, fish, sprinkle of cheese. Repeat until ramekin is full adding the most amount of cheese on the top of the dish. 5. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or so or until the cheese is brown and bubbly. 6. Serve with rice and vegetables. Enjoy!

theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

n October 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays captured their first World Series. I had the pleasure of seeing two of these games. Our company had four Skyclub seats located 2nd level behind home plate so I didn’t miss a play. I didn’t attend the last game as I was in the air coming back from a meeting in the United States. As we were flying, the pilot announced that the Blue Jays had won the final game. My fellow passengers were ecstatic as they spontaneously burst into cheers. A year earlier in July 1991 Toronto hosted the annual All

PLAY BALL Star game which is an extravaganza. A lot of companies, ours included, entertained their best clients at these games. As a part of my job, I took clients to events like this. It was a lot of work to attend to business and watch the game at the same time! In the 1993 series I had the pleasure of attending three of the games and watching the final game of the World Series. I must say it was very exciting. I took a couple dozen Troll dolls dressed as Blue Jays complete with player numbers to the final game. I threw the dolls into the crowd around us in the

final inning. No sooner had I thrown the last doll into the crowd, Joe Carter hit the home run over third base to win the second World Series in a row. Let me tell you the place went wild! The crowd around me said, “That guy with the dolls must have magic. He caused that miracle!” I was an immediate hero although it was all based on superstition. I count myself fortunate to have witnessed two World Series and an All Star game in a three year period. I think I was just born lucky!!

Silent Auction in the Lobby. All proceeds will be used toward replacing the roof of the St. James Cathedral in Peace River. Thank You for your support!

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reviews I’ve never been a big fan of superheroes. The X-Men are Marvel territory, and while Spider Man is pretty cool, I’ve always been a DC guy myself. Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern. For me, Marvel has always appealed more to teenagers, and the X-Men are the prime example of that, especially with de-facto team leader Wolverine. Animalistic and shorttempered, Wolverine is a mutant from Alberta, Canada (woo-hoo!). Thanks to extensive regenerating abilities and an Adamantium skeleton as a result from the later Project X, he has the gift of immortality, barely ages and can wield triple bone claws from slits in his knuckles. Pretty epic, if you ask me.

Released: July 26, 2013

A film review by Seth O’Morrow

I can’t proclaim to be the biggest fan of the X-Men. The movies were never that great, in my book, and beyond that,

I didn’t enjoy 2009’s Origins film. Mostly because I don’t like Liev Schreiber, but also because the film failed to depict any sort of reasoning for Wolverine’s personality. All it really did was jump around a hundred or so years, showing his life and his time with the other mutants. There was nothing compelling, no really insight into the mind

gems from this Satanic crazed era, such as Rosemary’s Baby, but most films from this time are incoherent garbage. Recently I had the distinct pleasure of watching the tripe that is Devil’s Kiss. Surely, I thought, it must be filled with sexy Satanists worshipping and going the extra mile (if you know what I mean) for the devil with a name like Devil’s Kiss, right? Wrong.

A Retro Film Review by Mary Warren

n the ‘70s, Satan reigned supreme as the overlord of suspense and horror in cinema. There are a handful of

In the common fashion of ‘70s devil worshipping flicks, Devil’s Kiss does indeed have copious amounts of nudity, but none of it is ritualistic—unless you count dull sex as a ritual. It only took 10 minutes for the butler to attempt to blackmail, rape and assault a model. Sadly, his rejected efforts may have been the most risqué of the entire film. Worse still, this scene had very little to do with the actual plot as we never see the model again, and the poor butler remains one of the unlucky few to be denied any action for the continuation of the film; save for his demise where he finally contributes

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of the Wolverine. If anything, Hugh Jackman’s character served as a backdrop for the boring exposition of Victor Creed and John Wraith. To put it simply, Origins sucked. So how do I feel about the new film? Better. Much better. The Wolverine is the movie that Origins should have been. An interesting story, good characters, some actual insight into what makes him who he is. What drives him, what are his motivations? What happened after the last X-Men? Hugh Jackman has always played the role perfectly, even in that abominable film before, and the new film represents this best. I won’t spoil much of the story, since it’s actually fairly intricate for a movie of this standing. During the bombing of Nagasaki in the 1940s, Wolverine saves a Japanese soldier from death, though he is burned in the process. Over 70 years later, Wolverine is washed up and living out in the woods. After a violent encounter in a bar with a local yokel, a Japanese woman

to the plot after wasting over an hour of being pointlessly and needlessly creepy. A majority of Devil’s Kiss seems to be devoted to the expression “What the fuck?” and not in a sense of fear and horror either. It’s filled with lecherous aristocrats, a bitter satanic medium seeking revenge, a telepathic mad scientist with a weak heart, and my personal favorite: the Frankendemon. The film seems to be a Satanic Frankenstein wannabe; they even have their own personal Igor, whom is generally pointless to include—except for digging graves and having wet dreams. It’s clear: what this movie does miss is a coherent plot. Despite being filled with what one would assume would be a colourful cast of characters and gratuitous scenes of pleasure, Devil’s Kiss is incredibly slow to progress and dull. If I wanted to spend my

contacts him and takes him to Tokyo. There, he meets the man that he once saved, now a wealthy businessman. Near death, he tells Wolverine that he reversed his immortality, therefore granting him an end to his suffering, as a way of repaying him for saving his life. From there on, things get extremely complicated and Wolverine is forced to go on the run once more. There isn’t much I can say about the film. The characterization is there, but the only familiar character is Wolverine himself. Everyone (with the exception of villainess Viper) is new here, so it should be a new experience for anyone watching. Overall, the Wolverine is a fantastic film. Possibly the best I’ve seen this year. Hugh Jackman is flawless in his portrayal of the comic book character, and each minute of it is intriguing and interesting. And stay for the credits, it’s worth it! Rating: 9.5

Sunday evening watching porn I could have found a title with better footage and a better story. Devil’s Kiss is filled with clichés such as faulty lighting and the classic sacrificial chicken used in a satanic ceremony, lest we forget the terrified girl running from the Frankendemon and tripping a dozen times. Other than the horrendous plot, Devil’s Kiss doesn’t have much going for it. Both the video and audio quality continuously change—often for the worse. The special effects and make-up are also sub-par, and before giving credit to the time the film was made we should bear in mind that Nosferatu and Frankenstein both predated this movie by over 30 years. Overall, Devil’s Kiss had the potential to become a cult classic, but flopped instead. Rating: 3.5/10

reviews great! It was a double album yet. The winner of two Grammy Awards, Harper is an excellent guitarist, multiinstrumentalist and songwriter, drawing from the blues, soul, folk, reggae and rock, creating a musical palette that is adventurous and appealing.

Homespun

Review By Terry Cameron

first came to know of Ben Harper back in 1999 when I spotted an actual vinyl LP hanging on the wall in a music store. It was Burn to Shine by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. I hadn’t heard any new vinyl since those damn CDs came out… and it sounded

Born Oct. 28, 1969, his dad was an African-American-Cherokee, his mom was Jewish. He is also quite an activist and was instrumental in discovering Jack Johnson. So now Ben has gotten together with one of the greatest harmonica players, Charlie Musselwhite. Charlie was born on Jan. 31, 1944 and has been recording since 1967. He had a long friendship with John Lee Hooker and has won an unbelievable 27 Blues Music Awards; eight Living Blues Awards in “The Most Outstanding Musician” category nine times and was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. Needless to say, he is exceptional. Charlie has over 20 albums out and has

appeared on many more. Tom Waits got him to play on his Mule Variations and Bad As Me. Speaking of Tom Waits, remember that fantastic guitar player I mentioned on Diana Krall’s album Glad Rag Doll? Turns out he is Tom Waits long time guitarist. Charlie played harp on Cyndi Lauper’s last album Memphis Blues and he was reportedly the inspiration for Dan Akroyd’s character in The Blues Brothers. Charlie actually appeared in the Blues Brothers 2000 movie. Yes, the man has a legacy. This get-together with Ben Harper has taken over 10 years—ever since Ben and Charlie played together on a John Lee Hooker album. That natural kinship stuck and has finally come together on Get Up! Harper says it’s the best thing he’s ever done. Ben wrote all the songs, produced the album and is backed by his band Relentless 7. Get Up! is very good. It is the thickly rich gravy steeped from the meat and potatoes of traditional blues, flavoured with Ben Harper’s special ingredients, all

simmering with the tastiest harmonica playing this side of heaven. The lead track “Don’t Look Twice” will have you coming back for more. The blues stomping “I’m In I’m Out And I’m Gone” is cooking with the steam of Savoy Brown while “I Don’t Believe a Word You Say” has the heavy heartiness of Led Zeppelin. All of which comes from dem ol’ blues. Ben also tosses in some hand-clappin’ gospel on “We Can’t End This Way.” And the foot-tappin’ kicker, “She Got Kick” will get you wanting to pull out those old 45 RPM records from the ‘50s. “You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend)” is simply Ben strumming acoustic guitar, singing his heart-wrenching song while Charlie’s harp sounds like his soul is crying. The last song, “All That Matters Now” is the slow late night blues. Like the title track, “Get Up!” this album simmers and cooks and will fill your innards with satisfaction.

The Failure of The Elder Scrolls By Seth O’Morrow

f I often seem a tad overly positive, it’s only because I find it difficult to be critical. Yes, some things are just downright bad, no questions asked. But a lot of stuff is very “meh” in the middle, and in that situation, I don’t feel the need to nitpick. If it was fun, and it maintained some sort of artistic integrity, then it’s good in my book. As long as we’re keeping up some standards of quality, I’m fine with it. But it is on that same note I feel I must get this off my chest, something that’s been bothering me for a while now.

Without a doubt, Skyrim was one of the best games of 2011. Its predecessor, Oblivion, was one of the best of 2006. Aside from the first entry in the series, I’d say that each game in the main series is the best of its

respected year. And this leaves me in an awkward position, because as much as I enjoy The Elder Scrolls (TES) games, I have a difficult time respecting them. Why is this, you ask? Let’s make a comparison, between TES and another great series, TV’s Star Trek franchise. Both are epic, all-encompassing, world spanning sagas that bring us interesting stories, exciting features and engaging characters. There’s one problem, though. Everything (and everyone) is lifeless. With the exception of Deep Space Nine, the Star Trek franchise will never be given credit for great character development. Aside from a few major characters in both the original series and Next Generation, everyone is dead. They are stock characters. They play a specific role and are written a certain way in order

to fit the expectations of the average viewer. No one has any real trouble, real personality or motivation. They exist solely for the sake of the show and its income. The exotic locales and extravagant storylines? They’re uninspired at best, and artificial at worst. I hate to beat a dead horse, but let’s take a look at Voyager, specifically the final season. Episode after episode is devoted to some random planet out in the Delta Quadrant with an endangered population, crazy monsters in the dead of space or trouble between crew members. Engaging enough, but where is the consequence? Whole worlds are at stake one moment, and the next episode, they’re dropped completely. Nothing is left of them. They’ve done they’re part. Janeway and the crew have moved on, their

duty to that part of the story arc passed. On to the next hellish Borg encounter. And it’s the same way with The Elder Scrolls. The stories of each game are inconsequential. Your reputation with certain groups doesn’t affect the opinions of others. In Oblivion, you’re tasked with saving the entire world from the rule of giant Daedra demon master Mehrunes Dagon. Exciting enough. And in the next game? Dagon is a footnote. He gets a side quest and some occasional references to the events of the last game. No one cares about the Hero of Kvatch. Nothing that you did makes any difference, because the loop has started over. Each game is a revolving door of stale ideas and missed opportunities.

should have some ultimate pinnacle—something to end it all, the big thing that we’ve been leading up to. Where is that in The Elder Scrolls? What is the point? Each game is relatively unrelated to the last, so why should we care what happens in-game? Story-wise, would it make any difference if Tamriel was conquered by Dagon and his forces? No, it wouldn’t. We’d still have Skyrim, except we’d be fighting Daedra instead of Imperials. All the best epic series, like Game of Thrones or Babylon 5, have some ultimate goal. Where is that in TES? Medial differences aside, where is the point? There is none.

Pardon me, but in my opinion, any sort of epic series (be it video games, television or film)

And don’t take that to mean that I dislike TES. I love it. They’re good fiction, and great games. But they’re bad fantasy.

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theVAULTmagazine August 2, 2013

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Puzzles & Comics

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