• Canister X TV Review #4: Smallville, Season 4 (2004 – 2005)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Smallville, Season 4 (2004 – 2005)
    5 out of 5

    This season was like a breath of fresh air after Season Three, which was so dark and gritty and full of angst. This season also marked the entrance of one of the critical figures in the Superman mythos: Lois Lane, played by Erica Durance. She’s tough as nails, Tomboy-ish and reminded me a lot of Teri Hatcher, who played the character in Lois and Clark.

    We also got to meet Bart Allen, on day to become the Scarlet Speedster, the Flash.

    The over-arcing storyline of the season involving the three stones was played out nicely and, when I first saw what they were for, was geeking out all over the place. Of course, the cliffhanger season finale didn’t help anything and brought yet another long summer as I waited for the Season Five premiere to show what happened next.

    The only episode that bothered me—aside from the few that just seemed like filler—was the episode entitled “Blank,” where Clark loses his memory and the most recent person to learn his secret has to show him who he really is and what he can do. They did this in Lois and Clark and this episode almost seemed like a repeat despite the story being different.

    This was a great season nonetheless. Superman rocks, and looking back and seeing Season Four in the grand scheme of what had gone on before and what has gone on since makes it work really well. This season definitely was a turning point in the series, the first step in taking Clark from teen to adult.

    Go see it.


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  • Canister X TV Review #3: Smallville, Season 3 (2003 – 2004)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Smallville, Season 3 (2003 – 2004)
    5 out of 5

    This season is most definitely the darkest of the series. I related to Clark quite a lot during his time on the road: the struggle, the pain, the loss—definitely made me relive some memories I wasn’t too keen on reliving ever again.

    This season also showed how evil Lionel Luthor really was and how he stopped at nothing—utterly nothing—to create his empire and, eventually, receive power that most definitely, in this case, fell into the wrong hands.

    Clark got a new superpower, this time his super hearing, which was done way cool and not just some fire-drill-like noise ringing in his ears.

    I loved this season despite how bleak it was and was thrilled to death when Christopher Reeve reprised his role as Dr. Virgil Swann. The mythology episodes in this season made me grin ear-to-ear, making my inner fanboy squeal like a girl.

    This season was great and had a cliffhanger that made me want to kick in my TV. What a long summer that one was.

    Year Three was awesome. Go see it.


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  • Canister X TV Review #2: Smallville, Season 2 (2002 – 2003)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Smallville, Season 2 (2002 – 2003)
    5 out of 5

    More powers emerge as Clark gets ever closer to his destiny as the Man of Steel.

    This season made you know the show was here to stay and showed a slight, more mature change in the writing style (if memory serves), despite the show still being kind of like The Twilight Zone meets Superman.

    Regardless, throwing into the mix someone outside the Kent family permanently knowing Clark’s secret—well, things got a little more complicated for our favorite farmboy as he’s now got the concern of “what if so-and-so spills the beans?”

    What really made this season, of course, was the guest appearance by Christopher Reeve, who everyone in my generation knows as THE Superman, bar none. His role as Dr. Swann, who shows Clark his Kryptonian heritage, really brought a passing-of-the-torch moment to the show, cementing in Superman fans’ heads that Tom Welling was indeed our new boy and—if anyone else out there is like me—makes you itch for Welling to one day put on the tights in a feature film (or seven).

    I love the mythology episodes in this series and Season Two had enough to remind you that, yes, you were watching Superman and not just a show about a young man with developing superpowers.

    Go watch this, then check out Season Three right after it. You know what? Go watch ’em all then follow Season Nine week-to-week like the rest of us. You won’t be sorry.


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  • Canister X TV Review #1: Smallville, Season 1 (2001 – 2002)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com
    Smallville, Season 1 (2001 – 2002)
    5 out of 5

    When I heard they were coming out with a new Superman television show back in 2001, I was thrilled. I had watched Lois & Clark religiously, so to learn that Supes was back, but this time exploring his pre-Superman years as a mild-mannered teen in Smallville, well, needless to say I was pumped, and Season One of Smallville didn’t disappoint.

    We got our first glimpses of Clark’s developing superpowers, how he and Lex met and the friendship that would later help forge the greatest archrivalry of all time, Clark’s Kryptonian heritage and more. Likewise, to meet Lana Lang for the first time and not just as a mere movie character but someone who—if you know even a chunk of the Superman backstory—made a huge impact on Clark as he grew up was especially interesting.

    I remember watching the season finale and flipping out over the cliffhanger ending.

    I’ve been watching the series ever since, every week, barely missing an episode.

    Check this series out if you haven’t already. This stuff is good. Real good.


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  • Canister X Book Review #19: Sunnyville Stories, Vol. 2 by Max West

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs
    Sunnyville Stories Vol. 2 by Max West
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Sunnyville Stories, Vol. 2
    by Max West
    5 out of 5

    Sunnyville Stories Vol. 2 is a great continuation of Max West’s landmark series. I’m a huge fan of the stories within this collection as well as Max’s art. It’s wonderful to find there is still good wholesome entertainment out there thanks to sagas like Sunnyville Stories. From what I hear, Sunnyville Stories is planned for 50 issues, which means there will be many more wonderful collections like this to come. Thanks, Max, for continuing to give us the further adventures of Sam and Rusty. Look forward to the next collection.

    Here’s a review of the first collection by Max West.


    📂This entry was posted in Book Reviews Comic Books 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Book Review #18: Sunnyville Stories, Vol. 1 by Max West

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs
    Sunnyville Stories Vol. 1 by Max West
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Sunnyville Stories, Vol. 1
    by Max West
    5 out of 5

    I’ve been following Max West on Twitter for quite sometime and finally got around to getting a copy of Sunnyville Stories Vol. 1.

    I love this book. It’s old-fashioned cartooning mixed with clever wit and wholesome storytelling. Most importantly, Max’s comic series has the one thing that’s missing from the mainstream comics of today: heart.

    There’s a soul to this book, one that made me feel good inside when reading it. The art is classic cartooning, with that down-to-earth quality that I love about indie comics. The stories are simple, relatable and enjoyable.

    Do I want to read the next volume of Sunnyville Stories? You bet I do!

    Count me a fan. This book is good stuff.

    Recommended.

    Here’s the review for Vol. 2.


    📂This entry was posted in Book Reviews Comic Books 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Book Review #17: Von Herling, Vampire Hunter by Max West

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs
    Von Herling: Vampire Hunter by Max West
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Von Herling, Vampire Hunter
    by Max West
    4 out of 5

    As a fan of Max West’s Sunnyville Stories, I was excited to give this yarn a read. Max does not disappoint. Von Herling is a classic vampire tale that sports thrills and chills all the while being acted out through anthropomorphic animals done is Max’s patented style. There’s rumors of a sequel so here’s hoping Max hits the drawing board and comes through. Always looking for more from this creator. Well done, Max.


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  • Canister X Book Review #16: The Hospital Suite by John Porcellino

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs
    The Hospital Suite by John Porcellino
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    The Hospital Suite
    by John Porcellino
    5 out of 5

    This book is, quite simply, amazing. I’ve been a fan of John Porcellino’s work for several years and when this book arrived in the mail, I got to reading it as soon as I could. John’s honest portrayal of working through his illness and the aftermath that followed struck a chord with me on several levels. In fact, I just sent an email to John going into those things more in depth.

    On the cartooning front, John is a masterful cartoonist and storyteller. This book kept me gripped from beginning to end and the art within complimented the story John was telling.

    This book is highly recommended. Do yourself a favor: read it. John Porcellino has earned himself the spot of an excellent cartoonist.


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  • Canister X Book Review #15: How To Really Sell EBooks by Jon F. Merz

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs
    How to Really Sell eBooks by Jon F. Merz
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    How To Really Sell EBooks
    by Jon F. Merz
    5 out of 5

    Jon F. Merz goes hardcore in this brief—but all-too important—guide on how to build your readership via Twitter.

    And that’s the beauty of this eBook: it’s niche. This is about increasing your readership and overall eBook sales via Twitter, focusing on that one method of delivery. A “crash course,” if you want.

    Look, I’ve been on Twitter a long time, and the sad truth about social media is—right now—there is no “for sure” way to do anything in terms of generating sales. Jon tells us this, so instead offers what’s worked for him. And if it’s worked for him, odds are it’ll work for many others who follow the advice in this book.

    Everything is covered from how to sell your eBooks on Twitter, how to gain more followers, how to format your links and so on.

    On a personal note, what I really appreciated was Jon not including any hype about the “eBook revolution.” As someone who’s been publishing eBooks for seven years, it drives me nuts when folks treat eBooks as a big deal and hype it up to the extent that it’s “go indie or bust.” Instead, Jon sits down with you over a cup of coffee—or maybe a beer due to how loose and relaxed he seems in this book—and just flat out says, “Hey man, this eBook thing is working out for me. Hadn’t always. Now it is. This is what I’ve done differently, and here’s where I’m at today.”

    I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to sell eBooks more efficiently, quickly and properly on the Web.

    Kudos to Jon for providing a down-to-earth guide on how to use Twitter to its utmost in every author’s quest to sell more books.


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