By Jimmy Palmiotti

Well, got back this week [yeah, I spent a few days in Los Angeles having too much of a good time] from a very fun first time con in Long Beach California. Amanda and I were busy all weekend and really enjoyed the healthy crowds there and relieved that we had Paul Mounts, the Power Girl colorist, along with us on the trip so we could put the finishing touches on Power Girl #6 while there and truly relax.

At the con I got serenaded by a Jonah Hex fan [Don’t believe me… watch this video and laugh…] and had some wonderful dinners with close friends. A perfect weekend, really.

For the next few days, I spent my time going into and out of various meetings all over the map. These meetings usually consist of meet-and-greets and the talk of future projects. I am hoping two of the meetings I had will have something interesting come from them, but I have learned long ago that it’s usually not the case, and when they offer you bottled water when you enter the office, to always take it because it’s probably the only thing you are going to get.

Let me know how the Big Apple Con went. Amanda and I couldn’t make it because too much work right now.

IN PREVIEWS: First business of the day: I DID NOT write Spartacus #3 for Devil’s Due. It is listed in the new previews and it is incorrect. I really couldn’t tell you who did, but it’s not me for sure. I came in and did issue 2 and that’s it for me. I just wanted to warn the retailers I know and cherish and make you guys aware of this. Stuff like this drives me to drink.

JONAH HEX #50: I actually WILL be inking this issue over Darwyn Cooke… even though it’s NOT listed in the new previews. Lol… it’s been almost 2 years now since I inked a book and why not break that streak and get on one of my favorite ones and get to work. I am flattered Darwyn wanted me.

DEADPOOL: …When is Marvel going to collect my run of Deadpool? I just wanna know, is all.

AN OPEN LETTER TO BUDGET RENT A CAR: I will never, for the rest of my entire life, rent a car from these horrible people. When I got out of L.A.X. I went right to Budget to rent the car I reserved. With my reservation I got a G.P.S. so I could run around Los Angeles and not get lost or late to my meetings. When I got the bag with the G.P.S. in it, I went to my car and put it on the dash… and it was on, so I tried to press in an address and it wasn’t working. I went back inside and they gave me another one. I put that one on the dash, it worked and off I went to a daytime screening. After I got out, I noticed the G.P.S. wasn’t working and saw I had to actually plug it in… I was using the battery before and didn’t realize it. Well, the small plug on the G.P.S. was broken, so I drove all the way back to Budget to get a replacement and when I got to the counter, the man behind it took my G.P.S and told me he was getting a manager. I was fine with that… and out she came, she looked me up and down and just said, “Well, you broke it… that’s $140.00.” I very nicely explained what had happened and that I didn’t notice the wire plug broken till I actually plugged it in… and showed her I had used the battery up in the past two hours before I came back to it. She was not listening to a word I said and just repeated, “You broke it, its $140.00,” and dropped in on the counter. I explained the situation again… and she said once again that I broke it and she had checked them all that day and it was fine when it left Budget. I asked her when she got in that day and she wouldn’t answer till she looked what time I picked up the car that morning on the computer screen… I stopped her and she said 10am, which was after I rented the car. She said she didn’t care, I broke it… I explained to her why would I come right back if I broke it and so on and repeated some other details and asked to see the girl that gave it to me. She said she isn’t there, and that the charge is on my card… and told me to have a nice day.

Well, I have been renting from Budget for years, as was my company and the people I do business with. This woman did everything else but say the actual words and call me an outright liar and I left so upset… it wasn’t the damn money… it was the fact that I was being honest, up-front, and explained the situation to her twice and she kept turning her back to me and repeating herself.

So, other than complain to the AMEX people I am writing this… and asking everyone out there to think twice about ever renting with these people. God knows, without an apology, I will never give them a dime again. They single-handedly ruined my day.  This is a case where the power of the people comes into light… read this if you are still on the fence about them… and this.

OK, some movie reviews now…

DARFUR: Kristanna Loken, a close friend of mine from the Painkiller Jane days invited me to a screening of a film she co-produced called DARFUR. This was directed by Uwe  Boll, written by Uwe and Chris Roland and stars Kristanna, Billy Zane, David O hare, Noah Danby, Edward furlong and more. It clocked in at an hour and a half and was about six western journalists visiting a small village that are faced with an impossible decision… to either leave Sudan and report on the horrible crimes or stay and risk their lives. I am sure most of you know what is going on in that part of the world but this film was a real eye-opener for me. So much of it was based on real events and the story was told in a documentary style that made it even more chilling to watch. Everyone involved did an amazing job and it also showcases how much Uwe himself has grown as a filmmaker. I really don’t know about the release dates and such, but if it makes its way around, I highly recommend this film… in a way, I think every student in every university should be shown this powerful film to truly understand the genocide that is taking place there. A great job all around here… I still can’t shake what I have seen.

COUPLES RETREAT: Well, again, if you saw the trailer, you saw the entire movie… and if you walk in halfway through, you can figure out not only what happened, but how it’s going to end. Overall, I really hated it and want my money back… and really felt badly for the waste of talent in it. It was not funny, not silly, not serious… and not good. The most embarrassing scene in the movie is a scene featuring Guitar Hero that looks like it was shot as a YouTube video. How did such funny guys write such an unfunny movie? I think this is a case of the two lead actors looking at the script and saying “Well, when we shoot it, we will make it funny.” This time it didn’t work.

WHIP IT: Loved this cute, well-done comedy drama for a lot of reasons, and first and foremost for outstanding acting on Ellen Page’s part. She was the glue of the film and I was lucky enough to see it in a packed house on a Sunday afternoon with an audience that cheered parts of the film out loud and laughed even louder. This is a great movie for any mother and father to take their teenage daughter to as well. Safe for the whole family. Yes, it was formula, but the screenplay and direction showed a lot of passion and attention to things that normally slip by other filmmakers. A likable feel-good film for sure.

PANDORUM: Anyone see it? Was it any good???

THE INFORMANT: Entertaining… mostly. Could have and should have waited for it to go to DVD. Nothing special and after I left the theatre, it was out of my mind 20 minutes later. Well-acted, but its pace dragged for me. I kept hoping it was a tiny bit more than the trailer showed, but alas, the trailer killed the entire movie and nailed each and every story point. Nice job.

That’s it for now other than some pages from Power Girl #6 that I thought you might enjoy. See you soon and please leave a comment or horror story of your own.

- Jimmy P

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