News and Updates | Paranormal Pants

They say you should always lead with a joke to set the mood, so here goes…

This one comes from watching an Impulse livestream.

What kind of pants does a ghost hunter wear?

Paranormal (Pair-a-normal) pants.

Audience: Groan. Really?

So, anyway…

Spooky Season?

I guess it really is Spooky Season because Tubi is suggesting a ton of spooky movies to me. Also, I must have Janelle Schiecke’s upcoming story Death Cult: Inferno on my mind because one of the movies recommended to me (The Haunted Forest) is about someone going up against a death cult. Another has a group summoning a murderous “fictional” character like Schiecke’s The Clatter Man…it’s even called The Bloody Man.

So far nothing like Spider, but maybe—if you squint—Spooky Tales is like Ghost Room. Both mention a mystery involving the place they are staying.

BTW: Death Cult: Inferno is up for preorder. It’s on sale for $0.99.

And speaking of horrifying experiences, I decided to become one of the victims…I mean, volunteers to go up against the machine over at the John Henry Society. Unfortunately, my bout isn’t until November 4. That’s what you get for being timid, folks.

Writing Update

I am ever so slowly working towards finishing Wrath of the Class President. I have three chapters “finished” with three waiting to be typed, and one almost written.

However, in true author fashion, I’ve become distracted by shiny, new projects. One is the “I Ate My Homework” video, which is almost done. The other is a review of the book The Worst of Times by Jayden Mitchellson. It is also almost finished…unless I get distracted, like that’d happen (famous last words).

Of course, I got distracted, but at least, it’s sorta in theme with Spooky Season. A family is abducted by aliens; but when they return, they discover they are in the wrong bodies.

I know…lame, but hopefully in a cool way.

Speaking of lame in a cool way…

The Atlas: The Animated Movie Review

About four years ago, Austin McConnell decided to make his own superhero universe. Was he aiming for “better than Marvel”? Not in the least. These heroes were the ones from the bottom of the public domain barrel. These were the ones that got one issue, two if lucky.

His first movie would focus on Atlas, a wimpy guy who is given super-strength by the Greek myth titan Atlas.

McConnell spent the next four years learning the art of CGI animation. It might have taken less time if he had not had heart surgery followed by a stroke and a long recovery.

However, he did manage to release books that showcased the adventures of Brain Boy, a teenage 007 with psychic powers, and the Spider-Queen, who after her husband is murdered dons the Spider-Queen identity to bring his murderers to justice. He also released a pilot episode for Cat-Man, which the movie is supposedly in the final steps of production.

In short, McConnell did not let the weight of the world break him…which is a line in the Atlas movie.

As for the Atlas movie, it is classic golden age super-heroics. It has good vs. evil, a hopeful theme (not letting the weight of the world break you), one-liners, some 4th wall pokes at how the comic book industry saw characters like Atlas as lame, and lots of puns and Easter eggs. McConnell sticks in a few references to his own SuperZeroes universe (and some that poke fun at the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

The music, which most was stock music, was pretty good. The acting was well done, and the animation was well done. Was the animation perfect? No. But it wasn’t meant to be. It was meant to have that direct-to-video feel. It was supposed to look…goofy. Remember, these are the characters no one cared about.

I liked that people did react to Jim’s (Atlas’s secret identity) transformation. Usually, people don’t react to when the nerd suddenly becomes buff or no longer needs glasses. Also, there is a moment where the audience learns where Atlas’s costume comes from—how it was made).

It was a great a movie for one done by pretty much one person. It really felt like a classic superhero movie or cartoon. It was also somewhat modern as not to bore or confuse the audience.

You can either pay to watch Atlas: The Animated Movie or you can watch it on YouTube or you can watch it at the Moxie Cinema in Springfield, MO on Sept. 12.

After the movie, McConnell announced the next installment in the SuperZeroes Universe: Six-Gun Gorilla. The book is out now!