Twitch, Breastfeeding, and Controversy

You may have heard of Twitch, the streaming platform that features everything from people playing video-games, to interviewing folk, to basically anything as long as it meets the requirement that is has the streamer talking at viewers (this qualification allowed a big marathon of old, "Mr. Rogers," episodes once, which was cool). Twitch had some controversy when a streamer named HeatheredEffect, who was doing an interview with another person began to breastfeed her baby because it was hungry--which happens, babies get hungry. No special attention was drawn to it by the streamer, she simply fed her baby. At first Twitch took-down a portion of the clip that had this moment take place because they had not had it occur before and an employee in charge of monitoring content for stuff that is not allowed (hate-speech, sex-stuff) was unsure what to do. The staff of Twitch met however, and they all agreed that, "Breastfeeding is not lewd," and therefore something the platform has no problem with. As with anything in the World, this of all things led to some controversy.

As I said above, babies get hungry. If parents are able to breastfeed and do so, they should make sure the baby is fed. If parents choose not to breastfeed and use a formula bottle that is fine too. Now, it is maybe awkward that this all took place on a Twitch stream and she could have very well paused it to feed her baby, that argument is valid. Also, of course the child could not offer its opinion on being filmed breastfeeding as the daughter is only 11 months old. However, it is HeatheredEffect's choice to do what she did, and Twitch chose to support it. I will not judge people for being uncomfortable, as everyone has their own feelings about public breastfeeding (it is legal in all 50 states but everyone has their own thoughts on how public is too public like with the internet and what they feel comfortable with for breastfeeding). However, it reminds me of a quote I can only vaguely paraphrase that points out one reason breastfeeding makes people so uncomfortable is that the breast is unique in how it is both sexualized and serves a non-sexual purpose. There is a lot to consider here, but at the end of the day Twitch said it was fine just as it would have had the right to say they would not allow it as it is their platform, their rules.

Twitch is cool with it though, so people can choose to not tune in or be fine with it. As we enter an era where everything is basically filmed, streamed, or taped to some degree this will probably grow as a topic of discussion. Back 15 years ago someone could have easily breastfed in public and only had to worry about rude passerby, now there is the concern of how everything gets a picture taken, a tweet, or an Instagram post and how this will impact discussion about breastfeeding, privacy, and what is okay or not okay to post online.

I've Got Another Article Up, "Cinemaways," For Ya'll to Read

I told/warned everyone I had more stuff coming on the Cinemaways website I contributed my first piece to recently. Well, just yesterday my article was published discussing, "10 Movies so Bad They're Actually Great." I loved writing it because it gave me the opportunity to talk about, "Showgirls," and any day where you get to discuss the beautiful train-wreck that is, "Showgirls," is a day well spent. I will keep you all of course informed of anything else I write for Cinemaways or any other website because it gives me an excuse to promote myself and hopefully find even more people who want to pay me for my ravings.

"Subnautica," Early Impressions

The game, "Subnautica," was in early access on the PC for quite some time, then came to Xbox One as well. I honestly did not realize it had been released for the PlayStation 4 until I saw it the other day as a title available to check-out from my awesome Saint Louis County Library system. As I have a PS4, I borrowed a copy and have been playing it. There are elements I love and ones that I'm just tired of, honestly. You see, "Subnautica," dumps you in a big ocean-planet and then with little guidance encourages you to figure stuff out. This is cool and fosters exploration. It also makes you constantly gather materials and focus on keeping yourself fed--this is less optimal for me.

I love exploring in games and, "Subnautica," is full of stuff to explore. Sadly, to do much exploring you have to slowly, "Grind." Yep, this is one of those games where you start with almost no supplies and have to build-up much of anything to get to the, "Good stuff," of not always being at risk from dying of starvation, dehydration, or lack of oxygen. I love exploration, but having to constantly be upgrading my oxygen tank to be able to do much of any exploring gets old. I know as I advance in the game and start building-up a big base a lot more possibilities open-up, but I honestly would rather be able to just simply explore in a game as opposed to always monitoring vital signs or gathering stuff to make devices so I can actually look around underwater for an extended period of time.

I appreciate the game does have a mode that removes worrying about staying fed or hydrated as well as a version to just build-stuff as well. That said, a main game mode that lets me explore and build without worrying about if I have enough copper ore would be nice. If a game that sounds like it is pure exploration--"The Outer Wilds," ever comes to PS4 that sounds like a dream title for me. For now, however, I guess I'll have to pick at limestone for ores so that I can get to the good stuff in, "Subnautica." That is, if I don't get bored of the grind and quit first.

I Contributed a Piece to, "Cinemaways," and Have More Coming!

I of course love television and movies--good or terrible--and had the pleasure of writing a piece for the website Cinemaways. This first published piece by me is a, "Bite-sized," review of, "The Boys," on Amazon's Prime streaming service. I have other works on the way there too and will of course always let readers of my blog know so you can enjoy watching as I spread my ramblings throughout the internet!

Some Discussion of a Brief Thought I Had While Reading, "House of X," #1

Jonathan Hickman's big return to writing Marvel comics has begun with, "House of X," #1 which will be coming out every two weeks--"Powers of X," will be released in the alternating-weeks until the two intertwined mini-series finish and a bunch of new X-Men books re-launch in October ("Dawn of X,") using Hickman's groundwork as a foundation. Only a single issue has come out so far of Hickman's grand plan, so I am hesitant to offer any sort of review. I will say one brief thought however that occurred to me whilst reading, "Powers of X." It is as such: "This is the biggest re-imagining of the X-Men I've seen since Grant Morrison did his incredible run with, 'New X-Men,' and that makes me excited." Being able to say something, anything, involving the X-men excites me is a big deal.

The last huge X-Men story/run I can I definitively loved would be when Joss Whedon did, "Astonishing X-Men," which itself drew from Morrison's tenure. I liked, "House of M," as its own weird event, but that was more of a big thing that involved all of the Marvel Universe as opposed to being an X-Men-focused event. In other words, it has been awhile since I read an X-Men comic that I loved, and even longer since I was legitimately excited to see what the X-Men have in store for them. Jonathan Hickman is doing his usual weird thing of big ideas, complex graphs, and people with mysterious motives, and I'm down for it. Considering how dull the X-Men have been for years why not let Hickman just draw from a bunch of assorted stories while ignoring the plots or character deaths he chooses to make a new one about the X-men saying, "Screw it, we're making our own country and culture and going to offer humans incredible resources to leave us the Hell alone on an island," at this point when nothing else has been done with the characters of note for some time? The fact I'm excited about an X-Men comic means something to me, namely that Marvel and Hickman must be doing something right.

Side Note: I would feel bad if I did not mention Kireon Gillen was doing some interesting stuff a few years ago with, "Uncanny X-Men," but that petered-out before I could really get pumped for it.

Make Sure to Attend the Latest STL Comics Micro Con Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, July 29th, from 10AM-4PM there will be the latest Micro Con held by none other than STL Comics! They are always stellar events full of fantastic vendors I enjoy seeing such as Cabal Books, Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, Trade Up Comics, Wayne Kent Comics, and plenty more! It is only $3 to get in, with free parking, and kids 10 and under are always free. Do note it has a new location, the Manhattan Antique Marketplace located at 10431 Saint Charles Rock Road in Saint Ann, Missouri, 63074. It should be a fun time as Eric Meyer (the head of STL Comics) always puts on a great show!

"Knife Crime," by Simon Hanselmann is Twisted and Excellent

I've written previously about my affection for the works of Simon Hanselmann. He has a big book ("Bad Gateway,") due to be released from publisher Fantagraphics this July 30th, and I'm very excited. Before that book's release however, Hanselmann had another one of his self-published mini-comics come out featuring everyone's favorite terrible people/animals--Megg, Mogg, Werewolf Jones, and Booger (Owl is at work for this issue, it mentions). Titled, "Knife Crime," it is longer-form as opposed to a short-strip, showing Megg and Mogg struggling to get motivated to do anything while the television plays what feels like a never-ending ad for that new, "Trulicity," drug.

As the issue proceeds they get drunk and high at a playground, argue, have group-sex, and otherwise basically just try to stave off the miseries of life with the numbing power of intoxicants and fucking. So yeah, as with a lot of Hanselmann's work it is a mixture of both funny and terribly depressing at the same time. Megg and Moog continue to argue about how doomed their relationship is, and a bit earlier in the book (before the playground-drugs and orgy) is my favorite segment of the book where Megg and Booger get into an argument with Werewolf Jones when he learns they have made their own offshoot band from the group's one, "Horse Mania," titled, "Knife Crime," as per the comic's name. It apparently consists of loops and mumbling about Disney Princesses and Ketamine, or, "Soundcloud Rap," as Moog dismissively describes it.

Hanselmann's art continues to be fantastic, imparting a twisted vibe with the weird assortment of animals, animal-human hybrids, witches, and a boogey monster all just hanging-out and trying not to be miserable. A bit cartoony but still grounded in a harsh and sad realism, Hanselmann is one of the best modern talents working today in comics, and you can take that statement to the bank and cash it in for a hit of whatever Werewolf Jones is smoking today. I can't wait for, "Bad Gateway," but this was a great read to get me extra-hyped.
5 out of 5 stars.

Sarah's Cake Shop Was Delicious!

I often enjoy going to the comic shop Dark Side Comics and Games, and in the same plaza it is found within there is a bakery, Sarah's Cake Shop. It is worth visiting as it is delicious! They have another location in Eureka, Missouri which I have not yet been to that also serves full-on food, but the bakery store in Chesterfield is fantastic. Found at 10 Clarkson Wilson Centre, Chesterfield, MO 63017, everyone there is always really nice when you stop-in.

My son especially loves the huge cookies and the red velvet cupcakes, myself. My wife loves the cupcakes too, agreeing they, "Have a lot of bounce," when bitten-into (nothing is worse than a dry cupcake). If you ever are in that plaza I'd for sure recommend getting some comics at Dark Side and some sweet treats at Sarah's!

Note: No one asked me to write this piece and it is not an advertisement, I just wanted to share my glowing thoughts about Sarah's Cake Shop. They are not aware I have a blog or anything. I will let them know I said kind things, of course, but this is purely an editorial piece by me, a man who loves sweets (and tries to not eat too many, but yeah).

Summarizing the Stuff at CCI/SDCC I Found Interesting

Come and Gone

Comic-Con International AKA San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, leaving in its wake a bunch of exclusive stuff being sold at a big markup (people love those Lego mini-figs) and an assortment of announcements to mull over. A lot clearly happened, and I found some of it interesting. Here, in handy bullet-point form, is some stuff I thought was neat:

• To start with some of the biggest news, Marvel made some of the stuff everyone already knew about (a, "Black Widow," movie) official and utterly surprised everyone with other things such as a new, "Blade," flick (I reported it first). I will admit I'm getting a bit tired of the constant deluge of big-time MCU films (I like the quirkier ones) and soon Disney+ shows, but my interest is piqued for a new, "Blade," and hearing that Jeffrey Wright is going to be doing the voice of The Watcher for an animated, "What-If?" show sounds pretty rad. Also, Natalie Portman is back in the MCU and will assume the role of Thor. That's pretty boss.

• My mentioning of Jeffrey Wright also reminds me that HBO was at the con, showing off more of the upcoming third season of, "Westworld," which is of course a show I love despite its tics, and they also revealed more about that new take on, "Watchmen," which looks weirdly interesting.

• Image has a new series, "Undiscovered Country," on the way that sounds interesting with its discussion of a United States that walls itself off from the World for decades due to a pandemic.

• Jonathan Hickman and friends revealed a whole new X-Men line including his, "Dawn of X," book featuring mutants in space. It is Hickman, so I'm gonna read it.

• Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes are back for a spoof of Jay and Silent Bob having a, "Reboot." Depending on how you feel about Smith's movies your mileage may vary.

• Harley Quinn is going to have her own animated, quite explicit comedy show. Depending on your feelings about Adult Swim Network-esque humor and Harley Quinn, (again) your mileage may vary.

• Tom King will be making another one of his usually-great maxi-series, this time about Adam Strange. His work is either amazing or terrible, but I think this sounds pretty solid.

• The Russo Brothers (the directors of recent, "Avengers," movies) are going to be making adaptations of previously minimally-known but now soon-to-be-popular properties, "Grimjack," and, "Battle of the Planets."

It was clearly a big show, and lots more happened, but that was all the stuff that immediately comes to my mind as having an opinion about. Now the city of San Diego has a whole year to clean-up the mess left behind before doing it all again.

I Reported it Before Anyone Else AKA "Blade," is Getting Rebooted!

Remember a little over a year ago when I said I had some resources at comic-cons who told me various bits of scuttlebutt, some which seemed more plausible than others? One of these anonymous sources insisted to me that Disney/Marvel had plans to reboot, of all things, the character, "Blade," now that the rights had reverted. I thought it sounded a little far-fetched, but then at the most recent Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con during its big panel Marvel revealed that none other than, "Blade," would be a part of their upcoming phase 4 of movies, with the talented Mahershala Ali as the titular hero.

As far as i know I was the first person to ever report this was happening. Perhaps because I am a smaller website nobody at Disney or Marvel took note of my discussion of a, "Blade," reboot being leaked to me way back in February of 2018, but there it is. I am both pleased there will be a new, "Blade," movie and also ecstatic people tell me stuff to then report. If anyone else wants to leak me juicy info I'm always open to reporting it and shan't tell anyone you spilled the beans to me, just to throw that invite out there!