Author: Michael Davis

Michael Davis: A Bioshock To The System

davis art 130409Over ten years ago I was in business with Irrational Games and its creative guru Ken Levine. I liked Ken and I liked his company. We were trying to bring a comic book project to life. It didn’t work out but such is life. Years passed and I did my thing and Ken and Irrational Games did theirs.

Then Irrational Games launched Bioshock.

Fuck. That game was a game changer.

I sent Ken a note congratulating him on the success of the game. I never heard back from him. That’s fine; those things just don’t bother me. I don’t dwell on why people do what they do or don’t do. He could have just ignored me because he’s such a big shot now or he may never have seen the email or another 50 thousand reasons why he did not respond.

Bioshock is still one of my favorite video games and that’s true rather I heard back from Ken or not. When the second Bioshock game out I loved that game as well. It seemed to be to be a bit harder than the first one and truth be told I’m still not done with it.

In fact I’ve been stuck on the same level for… let’s see…about two years.

No. I have not been playing the game constantly for two years. I pull it out every few months to try and beat that level, fail, then put it away for another few months.

More than a year or so ago I hear about a new Bioshock. Bioshock Infinite.

Some time after that I see some of the screen shots from the game and start to hear some of the hype surrounding the game.

I’m all in. Man, I’m all the fuck in.

I can’t remember the last time I was so jazzed over anything. Oh wait, I can remember. I was dating this Asian girl and…wait, now that I think of it, Irrational Games treated me just like that Asian girl.

They both promised something great yet that greatness kept being delayed. Over and over again. Bioshock Infinite was delayed then delayed again and frankly I got a little pissed waiting for it.

Then I thought that might be a great way to reconnect with Ken. I’d send him a funny email making light of the delays. After a little thought I decided not to do that. I realized I didn’t think the delay was funny so the odds of the guy who was sure to be taking some flack over it thinking it was funny was slim to none.

So I just waited.

Then the wait was over. For only the 3rd time in my life I went to a midnight release of a video game. When I arrived back home I started to play and at first I was not happy. The game starts with some puzzles, which I just hate.

I hate puzzles in fucking video games. I’m not buying a shooter so I can figure out how to unlock a door so I can start shooting.

Fuck that, I just want to shoot mofo’s. I don’t mind a level where I face a challenge as long as that challenge is how to survive not how to figure how many turns it will take to unlock a door and the only way you can do that is by finding a piece of paper that has the correct number of turns on it but first you have to decode that fucking paper.

Fuck that.

This is not 1993 when video games had to be clever, no it’s 2013 and I want my video games simple. George Bush simple, that means no puzzles! If George Bush had to deal with puzzles we would have had World War III…twice.

As is my policy I at least try and figure puzzles out so that’s what I did. I gave it a try and-son of a gun-I did it! What, you ask, would have been my alterative to trying to solve the puzzle? Looking up the solution on the net would have been my next move.

Duh.

No, whenever I’m stuck in a video game I don’t run to the net. If that was the case I would not still be on the same level on quite a few games as I am now, Bioshock 2 being just one of them.

I’m done with the puzzles but I’m still not shooting anyone. Now. I’m starting to get really pissed. And then, as if an answer to my prayers, a gun appears in my happy little hands.

Now I’m happy!

No, I’m really happy! This game is turning out to be worth the wait and living up to all the hype.

Then I see something that makes me want to get on a plane, fly to Boston and put my foot up the ass of Ken Levine.

Irrational Games is playing the race card.

There is an element to this game that deals with racism. In case you have not played the game I won’t say anymore than that. I’m not a dick so regardless of how I felt when first seeing that backstory I won’t go into detail.

I’ll just say I saw an image that made my blood boil. Fortunately for me I realized that more than once I’ve assumed the wrong thing regarding race so with that in mind I decided to continue shooting people until more of the backstory was revealed to me.

I’m glad I did.

I no longer want to put my foot up Ken’s ass which would most likely be a mistake as Ken does not strike me as anyone’s Bitch. That said – I love this game. Irrational Games pull off something remarkable and I’m not just talking about gameplay. That is not to say that some people of color won’t have a problem with the game (they will) but I’m not them and I love this game.

Well done, Irrational Games. And Ken don’t worry about returning my call, it’s only been a bit more than a decade. Bioshock Infinite took a while and look how good that turned out.

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

FRIDAY: Martha Thomases

 

Michael Davis: And A Dollar Short

Davis Art 130402Denys Cowan, Dwayne McDuffie, Derek Dingle, Christopher Priest and I founded Milestone Media 20 years ago.

Really.

I know to some that feels impossible, but it’s true. 20 years ago Milestone Media was formed and still to this day is the most successful African American owned comic book company in history. It’s hard to believe and even harder to believe that I was just five years old when Milestone began.

Heh.

Over the last 20 years Milestone has continued to make history. The amazing success of Static Shock on television, continued publishing of the Dakota Universe over the years and a ever growing and loyal fan base.

This year the legend of Milestone will be cemented for all time when Comic Con International, the biggest pop culture event in the world, honors Milestone 20th anniversary.

That’s huge but what I’m about to reveal here is even bigger.

Milestone is back.

The rumors are true, Milestone Media, although never really gone, will begin publishing monthly in September of this year under the Marvel comics banner.

The press release goes out this week but as promised some time ago in this column I’m breaking the news here.

Not only will Marvel comics be the new home of Icon, Static, The Blood Syndicate and Hardware next February in celebration of Black History month Marvel will launch Blackout, the event to beat all previous event.

Blackout will be the month every single Marvel superhero will become black and we are talking about their race, not their costumes although they will be black also.

Marvel’s commitment to the project is incredible.

Keeping with Milestone’s promise to its fans to “keep it real.” all of the super villains in the Blackout event will be white. “Keeping it real” is something that Milestone is known for, and that’s why the cost of Blackout will be half of what it would be if the superheroes were still white.

In addition all the storylines of Blackout will center around an inner city family where the father is not just absent but also in jail or on the streets involved in drugs. Because we are concerned with stereotypes, the drug storyline will not feature an absent father stung out on drugs.

The storylines will depict the father as the drug dealer.

Duh.

Because he’s black in Blackout the drug dealer will be seen as a hero in the black community because we all know that’s real and we know that because that’s how Hollywood keeps it real and Hollywood only depicts what’s real and we do want a movie deal so…

I can’t really go into too much more detail as I may have given away way too much. I will tell you this, the black Tony Stark will still date only white women.

He’s black, successful and mega-rich.

Duh.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

Davis Named DC President, Publisher

Davis April Fool ArtToday I became president and publisher of DC Comics.

Shortly, I will be detailing my agenda which includes renaming DC, Milestone, the termination of all white people on staff as well as freelancers and moving the NY office to Harlem and the LA office to Compton.

To avoid any silly “racist” talk I will keep my white girlfriend.

Michael Davis: The Geek In Me

Davis Art 130326I proudly say I’m a geek.

Really.

I’m proud to be thought of as a geek. Shit, I’m so geek I don’t just have an abundance of action figures – I have among those figures a pretty substantial Barbie doll collection.

Long sad story and yes I’m straight.

I have nothing but love and respect for geeks and like I said I’m proud to call myself one.

But…

Lately I’ve been feeling a bit guilty. I’ve been wondering if I really am a geek. Yes, I love comics, video games, movies, books and TV. Yes, I tend to categorically love the sci-fi flair within those media… but am I really a geek?

I’m looking forward to the next Star Trek movie but I’m not losing any sleep over it. The announcement that the original cast was being reunited in the next Star Wars movie was interesting, but except for thinking “Duh.” I had no reaction.

I love going to the San Diego Comic Con but I couldn’t tell you when the last time I spent any time on the floor not doing business.  These are just a few of the hundreds of “I could give a shit” thoughts about pop culture I harbor.

So, am I really a geek or am I just a guy who thinks owning action figures and hating Jar Jar Binks makes me a geek?

Someone tell me.

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi…

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

Michael Davis: Captain Action, Part 2

Davis Art 130319Please refer to last week for part one.

When last we met…

Off to Gertz we went! Gertz was the department store back in the day. When we got there my mother walked right to the toy department and brought me Captain Action and the Batman and Superman costume changes.

At that point I had to wonder, who was this woman and what had she done with my mother.

This was entirely way to good to be true.

As I would find out soon it certainly was.

I found out later that, what was a great Saturday turned crappy, why my mother was so quick to buy me Captain Action, which I just knew, was the last thing I would ever want or need.

My stepdad (who at the time I thought was my real dad; long sad story) told my mother earlier in the day he would not be picking me up to spend the night with him. Those times with my father were all I lived for.

If I had to choose between having Christmas every day and spending one day with my dad, Santa would have lost out.

My mom didn’t tell me that on the bus ride back. Nor did she broach the subject when we got home. She missed the opportunity while I was introducing the good Captain to my GI Joes. Introduction may not be the best word for the Joe exchange.

It was more like an eviction.

I evicted a platoon of Joes from a few of my GI Joe footlockers. The good Captain and his costume changes could not be made to spend his down time in a ghetto toy box. The toy box was where the poor toys lived.

The toys box were the projects in the ghetto. The footlockers were the nice homes, you know, the white neighborhood. Hey, I was a child living in a world where all Black people lived in the projects and all white people lived in nice homes in safe neighborhoods. That’s what the TV told me and TV was everything to a child.

Anywho, my mom never did tell me that my father wasn’t coming over – which was most likely her plan. The toys were a distraction. A distraction that was working until my sister asked me if Robert (That’s what we called my father, not dad or daddy. It’s a black thing you wouldn’t understand) brought me the toys.

Just like that I remembered that I was supposed to spend the night with Robert and realized that he had not picked me up yet.

My mother was then forced to tell me that he was not coming and I started crying like baby.

Then something magical happened, my mortal enemy, my sister Sharon picked up my Captain Action and started taking to me about it. After a few minutes I was proudly explaining what my new toy was showing her the costume changes and schooling her on all the reasons Captain Action was just the greatest thing that ever happened to the world. I’m not sure when I stopped crying or when I forgot Robert was not coming over.

Then, I was an adult.

That what happens in life one moment you are a five-year old with the greatest toy you have ever had the next you are a grown man trying to recapture those moments by becoming a collector of the things from your childhood that brought you that wonder. My Captain Action collection features the Ideal Toy Company original. The Prying Mantis 90’s redo and the current Captain Action Enterprise’s new line.

DC Comics did Captain Action comics back in the day and the good Captain has been returned to the industry those books are in stores now and I hear big plans are planed for comics in the future.

Yes, this article and part one is my love letter to an old friend who has always been in my life. It’s sappy, I’m sappy and I know that.

That’s OK.

Sappy is the new black.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

Michael Davis: Captain Action!

captain-action-550x852-9642213

My favorite toy ever is Captain Action.

I mean EVER.

When I was around four, my mother took my sister and me to a toy store. She told us we could have any one thing we wanted. My sister made a quick decision and choose a Barbie. I spent some time trying to choose between a guitar and a GI Joe. I finally made the decision and went with the Joe.

I was as happy as I had ever been with a toy.

GI Joe soon became my favorite toy, best friend and constant companion. Not too long after I got a Black GI Joe which was just a white GI Joe painted brown.

I could not have been happier.

After a time I had seven or eight Joes, as I made sure all my relatives knew my fascination with the action figure. Christmas and birthdays always brought me a new Joe.

My Joes were the highlights of my young life.

One fateful Saturday morning I was watching cartoons and on came a commercial for Captain Action.

Whoa.

Captain Action was cool all by itself but what was this I was seeing?  Did I dare believe my eyes? Did the good Captain ALSO change into OTHER SUPERHEROES???

OH YES HE DID!!

I had to have him. I had to have him, I HAD TO HAVE HIM!!!!

I waited impatiently for my mother to get out of bed. Saturday mornings were the only day she was able to sleep in. My mother worked two jobs six days a week, on Saturday she only worked one.

So I waited and waited for what seemed an eternity for her to get out of bed. When she did, I had to wait a wee bit longer (which seemed like decades) because she had to have her coffee. Facing my mother even today without her having had her coffee is a dangerous thing to do.

The second she went into the kitchen I joined her at the table with what had to be the biggest smile I’d ever had. I waited for her to brew her coffee (old school brewing, people, none of this bullshit Mr. Coffee) have that first sip but before I could start in on what I thought was going to be my best ‘I’ve GOT to have it’ plea my mother said;

“What do you want?”

“Captain Action!”

“What’s Captain Action?”

“It’s this cool superhero that changes into other superheroes!’

As if on cue, I heard the commercial playing on the living room television, and I left the table screaming like a mad child.

“Come see!! Come see!!”

My mother stood behind me while I stared again at the object of desire, convinced I would never ever want anything as bad.

“See? That’s Captain Action? Can I have it? PLEASE?”

“Oh, it’s like a GI Joe,” my mother said.

“FUCK GI JOE!!!”

No, I didn’t say that but thinking back that’s how I felt.

After the commercial I resorted to speaking so fast and with so much passion prying that my mother would see how my life would be over if I did not have that toy. I figured as long as I didn’t hear “no” there was still a chance. As every kid knows if you keep talking and don’t give your parents an opportunity to chime in they can’t say “no.”

“Michael, stop!”

Shit.

“Get your coat, you can come shopping with me and we will see about your toy.”

THANKYOUGOD!!!

Off to Gertz we went! Gertz was THE department store back in the day. When we got there my mother walked right to the toy department and brought me Captain Action and the Batman and Superman costume changes.

At that point I had to wonder, who was this woman and what had she done with my mother.

This was entirely way to good to be true.

As I would find out soon… it certainly was.

End of Part One.

 

Michael Davis: The Amazing Adventures Of Stupid

Michael Davis: The Amazing Adventures Of Stupid

Davis Art 130305When I was in the eighth grade I began to notice that all things were not created equal. Up until then the sneakers I wore were generic sneakers. No brand name that I can recall everyone just called them Skips.

One day some other kids started making fun of my sneakers. They were all wearing Pro Keds or Converse. That’s the moment I realized things were not created equal. Back in the day you wore either Pro Keds or Converse or you were not cool.

Back then I thought being cool was important. Well, it was for me, my Junior High experience sucked and anything I could do to ease my lame ass rep I was willing to try.

So I asked my mother for some new sneakers…

Me: I need new sneakers.

Mom: I just brought you new sneakers.

Me: (having thought this out beforehand, I was ready for that) those were for everyday. I need new sneakers for Gym.

Mom: Let Jim get his own sneakers.

Needless to say I didn’t get any new sneakers and my mother kept insisting that gym was Jim and simply kept me on the defensive. The kids in my school were ruthless about my Skips.

Peer pressure where I lived was no joke. I lived in the hood. Not the play hood you see on television the real hood. Not being part of the cool kids could be a health hazard. I’d make a joke that most of the kids that teased me are now dead or in jail but it wouldn’t be funny because it’s true.

I was into the status thing for a long time. When I started making money I brought only designer this or brand name that.  If I hadn’t heard of it I didn’t even look at it no matter how cool I thought it was.

Stupid.

Now?

The last pair of brand name sneakers I purchased were Reebok’s some 20 years ago (When I was 5, Jean) and a pair of Converses a year or so ago which I have yet to wear. I’m glad to say I have no and I mean no interest in buying or doing anything because of a preconceived  status.

There is one exception to that rule. I’ve been a real snob when it’s come to movies and comics. When I write I listen to music in my office but in my studio I watch movies and unless I’ve heard of the movie I simply won’t watch it.

That is, until now.

Over the last few weeks I’ve had a serious case of insomnia fueled no doubt by a serious case of stress.  One particular sleep deprived day I was in my studio working (or trying too) and watching movies on Netflix, AT&T U-verse, Amazon Prime, On Demand and a few outlets on the net. You name a way to get movies and I’m pretty sure I have access to it.

Out of the blue I decided to watch something I’d never heard of with the full expectation that after a few minutes of sucking I’d watch something else.

It was great.

I then watched four straight movies I had never heard of and all were great or pretty damn good.

That got me thinking about comics and my reading habits. Like movies unless I’ve heard of the book or really like the creative team I’ve been hesitant to give certain comics a look.

Again, stupid.

I’ll admit, I was not as bad with comics as I have been with movies but I wonder why I will pick up a novel read the back for an overview and rather I’ve heard of it or not if it’s interesting to me I’ll buy it.

That’s exactly how I came to read The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay, one of the best books I’ve ever read – and I’ve read thousands. I was looking for something to read on a flight and purchased the book at an airport bookstore.

If by some chance you have never heard of The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay, do your self a favor and get that book yesterday.

Really.

I still have insomnia (still stressed) but I was wondering if any ComicMix readers would be so kind as to suggest movies or comics that are off the beaten path that you loved and think I may enjoy.

I’ll really appreciate it. Please send them in anytime. I’ll be up.

WEDNESDAY MORNING: Mike Gold

THUESDAY MORNING: Dennis O’Neil

 

Michael Davis: Selling Out

Davis Art 130226I’m on the West Coast, Mike Gold, ComicMix’s Editorial Director, is on the East Coast and that’s the reason there is a good chance this piece won’t even run today.

My articles run on Tuesday so I try and get them to Mike no later than Monday morning East Coast time. Most times Mike gets them over the weekend but this one will show up to Mr. Gold after 9 p.m. Monday evening because… I’ve got nothing.

I drew a complete blank as to what to write about this week. I kept thinking something would pop into my head but nothing did. So what follows is not in any way a well thought out essay, it’s simply a rant on an industry event and the actions of those clueless individuals who, well, are just clueless.

The San Diego Comic Con sold out in two hours this year…duh.

Every year the biggest pop culture event in the world gets bigger so that should not be news to anyone, but as always people take to the net to bitch about how they could not buy tickets or the only ticket they did could get was for Sunday.

All you people, who think your inability to attend Comic Con is somehow the fault of Comic Con, grow the fuck up. A couple of hundred thousand people got tickets and as always the event sold out.

You simply lucked out. How is that Comic Con’s fault?

Duh.

The same goes for people who get tickets but can’t find a hotel room. There are only so many hotels in San Diego and once those hotels are sold out, you are assed out.

You can solve both having a ticket and getting a hotel room by simply becoming a major playa in the industry or building your own hotel.

Crazy? Bad joke? Unrealistic? Stupid thing to say?

Not as stupid as blaming Comic Con or the city of San Diego for your lack of ticket or hotel because they sold the fuck out.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

Michael Davis: Brokeback Bastard

Davis Art 130219DC Comics is hiring a very anti-gay writer named Orson Scott Card to write for them.  That’s bad enough in my opinion, but they are giving him Superman to write.

Damn DC.

Giving a guy who wishes gay people were wiped off the face of earth is one thing, but giving him Superman is just ballsy as shit.

The outcry in the industry is loud and clear. There’s a movement to have DC just fire the guy outright.

Not gonna happen.

Let me be clear, I don’t think DC will fire the guy unless videotapes are found of him doing unnatural things with a German Sheppard… a girl German Sheppard, of course. I don’t want to offend him in case he’s reading this.

This is a win – win for DC. They get a pretty good writer and massive publicity so why fire the guy? When the book comes out they will get another round of colossal exposure so like I said, why fire the guy? For DC this is not personal, it’s business.

I say, let the guy write the book. Really.

If you want to take a stance against him and his views as I do, trying to get him fired is the wrong way to go about it at least I think so. Nothing short of a massive boycott will make a dent in stopping this guy from doing the Superman story.

But there is another way…

Take the writer to task at every turn. Make him own his views. Challenge him all the places where DC will send him to promote the book. Like comic book conventions, or any online forums, or any book signings anywhere he will show his bigoted face. Then the story is about his hated, his views and his failings as a human being. No company wants that shit following them around, over and over and over.

Trust me on this; I know first hand just how hard that sort of bad press hits corporate America. The way they are perceived by the public is easy to weather unless it keeps happening.

Now is if they also just happen to be a publicly traded company…

Yippee Ki Yay Mother Fucker.

I like what DC is doing with its line these days. I don’t like to think that one of my favorite comic book characters is going to be written by a guy who would deny others their right to exist.

I don’t blame DC for hiring the guy, I don’t blame them for standing behind him (although it better not be a guy standing behind him) because like I said for them it’s not personal it’s business.

For me and I’m guessing many of you making his comic book journey miserable is not business, it’s personal.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

Michael Davis: It Was Twenty Years Ago Today

Davis Art 130212Actually it was twenty years ago, but it wasn’t today. Look, any time I get to use a Beatles lyric in anything I write I’m using it. Nothing says witty and clever like a Beatles lyric or a Tupac and Biggie reference.

Case in point. One time too freakin’ many an ex-girlfriend asked me in an email if I thought she was getting fat. I was so sick of answering the same freakin’ question over and over again. She would ask when she and I would be on a date, in a car, on the phone, texting and one time I could have sworn she screamed it out during sex. I can’t be sure of that I couldn’t hear her clearly as I was, at the same time, screaming out my name. Yes, I scream my own name out during sex. Someone has to.

I was just sick to death of this shit so in my response I found a way to use a slightly altered Beatles lyric, which was, yes, you are the Walrus.

Twenty years ago, Denys Cowan, Dwayne McDuffie, Derek Dingle, Christopher Priest and I founded Milestone Media.

Hard to believe I was just five when I helped start the company, eh Jean?

Twenty years later, Milestone is still considered the greatest publishing achievement in African American comic book history. The Milestone deal was ground breaking and the universe is still alive and relevant. Milestone has achieved in comics the same kind of reverence the Tucker achieved in the automobile industry or Guns ‘n’ Roses achieved in Rock and Roll, all three burst on the scene, changed the game and for whatever reason lived a short life but has never been forgotten.

What many people don’t realize is Milestone still exists and is still alive in media if not in a monthly series of comic books. Static Shock is still seen on television, Milestone characters are often featured on other DC comics animated shows and Milestone comic book projects still are being created.

Milestone’s 20th anniversary will be celebrated and in the coming months happenings will be reveled. I just can’t tell you now; if I did Denys Cowan would see to it that I join Tupac and Biggie. Yes, I’ve used that line before and I will continue to use it until LAPD does it job and finds their killers…or someone comments how clever and witty that line is. I’m good with whatever comes first.

What I can say is ComicMix readers who are Milestone fans have a guy on the inside. As we all know with great power comes first hand knowledge premiering here at ComicMix before anywhere else.

That is, if I remember to write it after it’s finalized but before the press release goes industry wide.

I’ll try and remember but once I was told over the phone I just had a huge project green lit and could now talk about it. The very next call I was on not three minutes later was with an entertainment magazine doing a profile on me and like a dick I forgot to mention the venture when asked about what projects I was working on.

That omission was like forgetting to mention I own a dog when being interviewed for a cover story in Dog Magazine.

Last thing, for all you fan boys who are still a bit “girl challenged” if your girlfriend…wait, what am I saying? Girlfriend? Fan boys? Ok, if the girl you are smitten with or any girl asks you if she looks like she was getting fat or the classic, do I look fat in this dress?

The answer is always no.

If the heifer weights 300 pounds and is always sucking on a saltlick, the answer is always no.

Trust me, don’t say anything remotely like what I said, I’m lucky to be alive and ten years after the break up I’m still looking over my shoulder.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold and The Nerddom Intelligentsia

THURDSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

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