Countdown to the Avengers: Sunday...

Dux Bellorum!

Cover art from the Osprey Publishing book, Dux Bellorum, a rules set for late Roman / early Dark Ages wargaming.

This is Awesome! Ironclad

James Purefoy is becoming my "Go To Guy" for swashbuckling action.  The only real trouble is that his most awesome movies don't seem to get wide release here in the States.

Here he plays a Knight Templar defending a siege.  An awesome Templar.  And an awesome siege.

And there's an awesome sword.

No More New Year's Rockin' Eve?

Arn: The Knight Templar

CuChulainn: Birth

This is an animated segment from a BBC show that aired in Northern Ireland.

CuChulainn is sometimes called the "Irish Achilles."  He is the demigod hero of a mythic cycle from Pre-Christian Ireland.

Specifically, he is associated with the ancient province of Ulster -- which is the bulk of what is now Northern Ireland.  Interestingly, he is claimed as a symbol by both sides of the "Issue" in Northern Ireland.  As a purely Celtic hero, he is claimed by those who want to unite with the Republic of Ireland.  As the defender of Ulster who repulsed invaders, he is admired by those who want to stay in the United Kingdom.

In any case, CuChulainn is one of those badass warriors from the mythic past and I'm sure you'll all enjoy the shorts.

God Bless America!

"Find Me Somebody..."

I'm not going to say much here.  I'll just let Rolling Stone's website help sort out the nonsequitur of Wolverine having a private jungle encounter with Queen frontman and Rock God Freddie Mercury.

I'm so tempted to use that last picture as my avatar.

You know it's awesome.

God Save the Queen!

Cap's On A Plane!

Agent Coulson turns out to be just another geeky fanboy like the rest of us in this clip in which he meets Steve Rogers.

And no, Steve, the Stars and Stripes aren't a little "old fashioned," we just bicker a bit about what they really mean.

Disco Avengers!

What if Tony Stark had a really awesome mustache?  What if Thor wore fur?  What if the Hulk was painted green?

The Secret of Kells

Recently my wife came home with the DVD The Secret of Kells.  This was a joint French-Irish production of an animated film that came out a couple of years ago.  It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Film.

The movie is a highly fictionalized account of the creation of the celebrated illuminated manuscript known today as The Book of Kells after the Irish monastery with which it is associated.  The Book of Kells is an awe-inspiring work of art that shows the full, glorious powers of both medieval illuminators and centuries of artistic development in Celtic culture.

Our story centers on a young man living at the monastery of Kells who becomes apprenticed to the master illuminator.  At the same time, he lives under a constant threat of Viking invasion.  He also begins a strange friendship with a mysterious girl who lives in the forest.  There are competing forces at work in the boy's life.  Kells represents the promise of civilization -- these are the Dark Ages, and civilization is a rather precarious notion, but it exists.  The work of illumination and art is presented as the crowning achievement of civilization.  The Vikings represent an existential threat to civilization.  They can tear it all down in a night and destroy everything.  The girl and her forest represent a more innocent time in civilization's past that is now fading.  The three forces are in competition, but at the same time, they balance one another.  Nature proves to be brutal.  Civilization proves that it has the potential to ignore art as easily as the nihilistic forces.  In the end, the relationships are interdependent -- but man chooses to move forward, conquer the darker urges, and produce art.

The movie is gorgeous.  Although the animation style seems simple, each frame is a complex work of art and design.

Some of the online reviewers at Amazon.com ding the movie for a slow pace.  It unfolds much like a dream, so it is somewhat languid.  But moments of action are suitably speedy.  Others remark on the fact that the Book of Kells is a bible and the religious aspects are played down in favor of fairy magic.  True, but I think this is intended to enhance the universality of art.  It transcends religion.  Art is a common and universal human expression that, like religion, brings forth our better natures and lights the world.

I recommend The Secret of Kells.  If you appreciate great art, you don't want to miss this movie.

"Siegfried", or, "Holy Crap! Why Isn't This a Movie?"

This truly gorgeous, animated trailer set to music from Wagner's Ring Cycle is for a French graphic novel.  It is not a movie trailer.

Why not?  This is fantastic, amazing, stupifying!

Wagner's intention with the Ring Cycle was to create a complete work of art within the media of his day -- hence an Opera, in which all the arts of the theater and orchestral music combined.  But surely animated films fit this bill also?  Perhaps even more so, as they bring in elements of the fine arts that fade more into the background of the theater.

Even if we streamline the Operatic version of the story back to the original Germanic epic, we probably lose nothing, and gain one heck of a Barbarian-Conquers-All tale complete with Grim Gods, Dragons, Magic Swords, Barbarian Princes, Valkyries, dwarfs...  Set it to old school, Disney style animation and we're truly talking a modern epic work of art!

Why isn't this being made?

Well, enjoy what we've got.

Rock This Town -- Stray Cats

Conan Criticism

Well, better late than never...  A well-written article on the cultural cache of Conan the Cimmerian from August, 2011 (on the occasion of the release of the truly awful 3D movie).

When We Need Our Barbarians, by Brian Phillips.

Who here knew President Obama collected Conan comic books???

I Need This T-Shirt

Find one for me, now!

Hot Toys Captain America: Modern / Avengers

Oh, Hot Toys...  You mock me.

I did not buy your Captain America: The First Avenger action figure because, although I liked the costume design very much, I liked the Avengers uniform even better.  I looked at your price tag for the WWII Cap -- $169.99 -- and thought, "I can't afford two figures.  I must choose only one.  Choose wisely..."

It certainly looks like waiting for the Avengers figure was the wise choice artistically.  This is a truly amazing figure.  The sculpt is wonderful, the uniform looks tight, and the articulation is up to snuff.  This is a figure that would look awesome posed in my display case.  A fitting tribute to my favorite super hero.

He even comes with a choice of shields, one shiny and new, and one battle-damaged paint job.  (The shield itself is, of course, indestructible.)

But the cost?

$214.99???  Excuse me, but: WTF?

The figure had better be indestructible for that amount!  I should be buying a screen accurate 1/1 scale Cap uniform for that!

Ugh.  Oh, Hot Toys...  You mock me.  You mock me with maniacal laughter...

And you should be made to pay for such arrogance.

The Viking Ships Part 4

The Conclusion to the Viking Ships documentary.

Jiu Jitsu All Over Again...

So, last night I went to my first real BJJ class in two or three months.  My old program had closed down, and I'd been searching for one that would take its place.  This turned out to be more complicated than I thought, as my wife's work schedule has shifted, and my daughter's activities schedule has also changed.  Then (of course) there are the issues of convenience and cost.

But, finally, I made it to a small, informal class run by a legitimate BJJ brown belt.  There were four students.  One of them is a purple belt in BJJ, one is a veteran martial artist with some prior, but sporadic, grappling experience, and there was a young lady with very little BJJ experience.  And me.

We started with a couple of basic armbar techniques to get the body use to grappling.  There was nothing fancy here, but the instruction was clear and solid.  He made a point of explaining that he was less interested in us learning the technique than the concepts behind the technique.  Good.

Then we rolled.

First, the instructor rolled with everyone.  He called me out (as the noob in the group) first.  Right away I recognized I was being checked out.  No worries.  I don't claim to be any great master of jiu jitsu.  But at the same time, I didn't want to embarrass myself or my previous instructor.  The first roll went very well.  I could feel the brown belt ramping it up and down in order to figure out where I was in terms of skill level.  Since it had been awhile, I was really just trying to go for position.  I'd sometimes recognize the opening for a submission, but I didn't always remember how to execute it.  It was also No-Gi, which was a change for me.  I also concentrated on not locking into a technique, but tried to let them go if they didn't seem to be going my way.  All in all, not too shabby -- if I must say so myself.

When he finished rolling with the other three, it was time for someone else to be the main attraction.  I got pointed out again to go first.  So, again, I rolled with the instructor, then I went against the purple belt, and then the martial arts vet, and finally the new girl.

Yikes: three minute rounds, twelve minutes total.  I told my wife later that I would've been home ten minutes sooner, but I think I was clinically dead when I was finished.  The second time, the instructor kicked-up the intensity a bit and actively submitted me.  The purple belt caught me out a couple of times.  No worries, I know my limits and I recognize they need the work too.  I managed the vet, even tapped him out once or twice.  The young lady was an interesting challenge however.  I recognized early that I could just repeatedly tapped her out -- and I'd be a jerk for doing so.  She's not comfortable yet with grappling, and I out-weighed her by... well, I outweighed her.  So I returned the instructor's favor in my first match by moving correctly, but providing he with some openings.  Sometimes I slowed down so she could see what was happening.  But I tried not to just give her a win.

So, I deem it a successful class.  I learned, and I helped other learn.  I liked the instruction, and I liked the dynamic.  I think I'll return.

Even if I did wake up this morning feeling a bit like I'd been run over by a bus.

How About a Dose of Awesome? AC/DC makes the girls go wild!

From Australian TV in 1976.  Bon Scott makes the young ladies feel all tingly in the right places.

Tunic Patterns

So I recently completed my first attempt at a Viking tunic.  Unfortunately, despite following the pattern, it is at least a size too small.  I'll get some photos of the tunic up later.

But if you're wondering how I came up with a pattern in the first place the answer is...

Lots of different places.

Here's a blog from a man who has opened a business devoted to reproducing Viking fashion for the Renn Fest, SCA, and Re-Enactors: http://vikingtunics.wordpress.com/  He's very informative about what it takes to get started.

There are any number of links out there for you to get instructions.  The UK Re-Enactment group, The Vikings has a ton of resources available on its website.  Even the North American branch re-directs you to the UK website.  http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/authenticity/basickit/index.htm

Another UK group with excellent information is Regia Anglorum: http://www.regia.org/main.htm

You can find many more links through this directory of Viking Websites: http://www.dilettante.info/vikinglinks.htm

There are, of course, links to sites that will sell you completed clothing.  To each his own.  Personally I am very interested in the artistic aspects of re-creating a Viking costume.  I would prefer to make as much as I can.  In theory, I could make everything.  This is what many people did 1000 years ago: make every article of clothing and ornament.  However, I recognize that my ability to sew is already ahead of my ability to do leatherwork or cast jewelry.  So I have bought, and will buy, various bits as necessary.  But eventually I should be able to do it all and make it look pretty.  At least, that's the plan.

However, the ultimate answer for which pattern I chose to use for my first attempt at a tunic is this:
http://www.amazon.com/McCalls-Patterns-Childrens-Costumes-SML-MED-LRG-XLG/dp/B004OA79A6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_15  I used the pattern for the lower right corner tunic.  Although I did make some initial adjustments to the sleeves so they would taper toward the wrist rather than billow, and I left out the belt.  When I get the size right, it should make an excellent undertunic of linen.  It isn't right for the wool outer tunic, although a correct undertunic pattern should give me something to judge the proper size for the outer tunic.

I'm also using the trouser pattern, so we'll see how that turns out.