To Collect and Serve

Where have you been man? Merin is still around but chimes in only once in awhile and I have not seen themovielord in a long time...Yes, there are a lot of new people here and for the most part there all cool and then again if you take another look and you will see a lot of people that have been here along time...anyways take care...

We definitely have a lot of new faces joining the Maniac ranks and as Mla says, some of them have been around for a bit, they're just partaking in the experience now.

And Movielord is here everyday one way or another. After all, he's our DVD guru for the site. Lately, he's been doing some Toys features for the site too. You can check out his latest Neca spotlight on the upcoming New York Comic Con TMNT exhibit on the main site this afternoon.

lol at the "Mommy" part too. That's two smiles you gave me this morning. One there and the other one telling me I should be perfect on the trivia game. I wish....I wish...I uber-wish I was perfect at everything..You can bet I would test my perfection at buying a lotto ticket or two..or three... :)

mlaforcer,

I have been in the hospital. Long story, but I am getting well. glad to see you are still here. I thought I was in another world when I returned with all the new faces...but hell...new faces means good news for Mania, and I love Mania.

Jarrod,

LOL...hey gotta have a little fun. I really like the screenshot game. I hust love how people want it to be perfect...it takes time. Cannot wait for the next installment.

LOL!!!! Good stuff about the lotto, let me know how you perfect it.

I am always here... nice to be missed though... thecollector I didn't know you were such a fan. Yeah I am columnist now so the voice just has a different face to it...

But this summer I will be chimming in as themovielord for all the summer movie reviews...

Yeah where is MXM and Merin????

Yeah where the abaddon are Merin and Jakester, and I'm really missin Captain Gord from the ol days, that bloke was a riot.

(even if he did feature a batman pillow in virtually all of his Mania videos - Ed)

Nobody's perfect.

Moi, I'm currently plotting the demise of Western civilization and its transmogrification into a downward spiral of anarchy and chaos.

(a maelstrom even - Ed)

Not my fault, I was born with this name.

and Bats demise too, that dick has it coming., of course.

I know I'm an (alleged - Ed) evil genius and all but even I gotta devote some attention to these plans, they don't write themselves you know.

(and that giant Crayola box set he uses ain't cheap - Ed)

Good to be missed though, it proves you guys are still INSANE, and that makes me smile (if broadly and with a disturbing rictus like grin- Ed)

Hey Ed, instant telegram for you

(oh goody, ..give ..give.. - Ed)

*rip* *tear*

(ok, you open it - Ed)

it reads: stand on the spot marked X and pull on this rope would you please.

(what, oh OK, over here? ..no wait, oh no, I'm not falling for that AGAIN! - Ed)

[...]

(this time I'm standing on the OTHER side of the X - Ed)

*Drop Anvil*

(ow, medic! - Ed)

AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Well it's either the world domination jamboree or I'm dealing with some insane shit at the moment.

But until that's over with, I'm always here, readin..

(..waiting, plotting, possibly breaking into your house as we speak- Ed)

Yeah, lots of fresh new faces (to corrupt and defile no doubt - Ed)

Yeah, maybe the newbies should drop a line in here and introduce yourselves so I know who some of you new lot are and more importantly so I can more properly defile and corrupt you.

Lookin good Jarrod, TML, TC, MLA!

Someone wake Merin and Jakester up.

mXm

I'm here.

Just not many articles to talk about.

And the insults from certain people tiresome after a time. I have this obsessive-compulsive need to defend myself and make myself understood, so sometimes I just need to take a break.

I put out some comic reviews and a blog a few weeks back and if anyone read any of them, no one acknowledged. No feedback kills the urge to provide content, you know?

But I'm here, still sticking with all you Transformers lovers. ;)

Merin...I read them, I just did not respond...Sorry...

We talking about the Supermans story?

Yeah, I know...After the 14th article on Superman, I just began to understand that Merin, myself and only a few others like it against the vast majority that hate it. We do have a lot of SR fans at the forums so that's something..

It happens everytime I write up any article that has Superman and Bryan Singer included..

We all have our opinions on this stuff but sometimes, it gets way too personal for some. There's some that respect differences of opinion....hence Merin is sticking around us Transformers fans (me) when he knows I might be contagious and there's others who just can't keep it from getting personal.

As the old saying goes...It happens...What happens? Shit happens.. :)

And Michael, I'm going to steaaaaal your crayon box so you can't plot as much and must come by here more often..Be prepared, sir. Be very prepared.

I hear that Merin, the insult festivals can drain the abaddon out of one, particularly when one is the /target-of-the-week/.

And when that target of the week phenomenon takes root, pretty well much_everyone_ will become that /one/ some week.

I personally prefer a different sort of environment, nominally one where people feel free to express their views as they see fit yet don't feel a need to maliciously slaughter anyone that disagrees with them.

A place where people feel free to be themselves rather than one where we're waiting to pounce, or be pounced upon.

Yet as witnessed from a removed perspective, I also can't help but think it bares mentioning that there is some merit to the whole "attack-fest" dynamic.

for example, the:

/standing-up-against-an-attacking-mob/
(fosters courage - Ed)

and

/expressing-our-view-in-a-potentially-receptively-hostile-environment/
(fortifies inner strength - Ed)

and

/fighting/honing fighting skills/
(is useful if you live in a world that requires said fighting skills -Ed)

but for all those Darwinian benefits that come from an "attack-fest" milieu, I nevertheless still personally prefer an environment where people feel free to be themselves _and_ allow others to be.

One where if disagreements take place there's a focus on honest debate'n'discussion'n'disputing yet /when said disagreements take place/ they're handled with an emphasis on honest opining or if not then comedic-zinging.

..rather than say with the "serious" (read: mean-spirited) attack-fest approach that seems to quickly spread like a virus on many a netboard, once it takes root.

I forgot that once. Lost sight of the objective.

It's a mistake I make an effort not to repeat.

Well, imo those of us who feel the same way, let's say, those who are bored of that game and/or those who can take care of themselves already and don't need to prove themselves over'n'over again, maybe we just have to stand up and become representatives for the sort of environment we want to foster.

Even if it kills us.

(and anyone that has seen the Sopranos knows that the Tony's of the world will now go out of their way to piss you guys off just to prove you can't - Ed)

^Raise-Eyebrow.

*blow gazoo*

[Pathud]

mXm

P.S: this isn't the giant crayon box you're looking for DJ.

*wave fingers in jedi fashion*

P.P.S: Bring on the next Superman, but please get rid of those bloody skimpy-shorts, otherwise to many he will continue to come off like a village-people homoerotic version of Superboy.

("Not that there's anything wrong with that" - Ed)

in itself, no there is nothing wrong with that.

but AISI the intented "Alpha-Male Superman" archetype shouldn't have the straight members of the audience actively wondering and thinking about how many times the gay members of the audience (or how many times the Director -Ed) checked out Superman's package.

The costume subcutaneously reads as incredibly subversive.

I know Singer brushes those sorts of comments off with either "wtf?" or as humorous, but to quote Capone in The Untouchables, we laugh because it's funny, and we laugh because it's true.

If they want to overcome the resistance to the new Superman, change those bloody daisy-dukes.

(it's almost as important as the script - Ed)

Oh it's MORE important than the script, to the mainstream. I'd wager.

Everything has its place, they should call Peter Greenaway if they want to do "Gay-Tool Superman" - that could be quite an interesting alternative film and one I'd pay to see.

(but then, he's insane - Ed)