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”The rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate.” — Zapp Brannigan, “Futurama”
CONVENTIONS: Glass City Con at Owens 4 IN CONCERT: The Staving Chain at Manhattan’s 5 VIDEO GAMES: ‘Red Faction’ rocks the graphics 6 FILM: UT professor honored at LA festival 8 THE PULSE: Events calendar 12 COMICS: R.I.P., Gene Colan 14 SUMMER EVENTS: County fair lineups 16 POP GOES THE CULTURE: Dana deconstructs ‘Twilight’ 18
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Billy WEst giveS voice to red m&m • ‘Ottville’ musical to debut • Alex heberling art for glass city con • ‘Twilight’ bleeds
JULY 6, 2011 • Episode 2 Chapter 27 • Toledo Free Press Star, Toledo, OH: “It’s just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long, the grasshopper kept burying acorns for winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched TV. But then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus ate all his acorns. Also he got a race car. Is any of this getting through to you?” — Fry, “Futurama”
Flamtronic ready to electrify the OT
Stars of the Week
By Mike Bauman Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer mbauman@toledofreepress.com
While drums are noisy, at least one person in John Hubbell’s family was fully supportive of his interest in the instrument. That person was his grandma, who was in the marching band at her golf club when Hubbell was a boy. “They had this lady’s auxiliary thing where they did like a Scottish drum and bagpipe band, and my grandma was doing that and I thought that was kind of neat,” Hubbell said in a phone interview with Toledo Free Press Star. “So she gave me her practice pad that they had given her to work on, and I thought that was pretty cool.” Hubbell’s grandma ended up buying him a month’s worth of lessons when he was in the fifth grade, and drums have been a part of his life ever since. Now 45, the Toledo native is the drummer for local trio Flamtronic, which will perform at the Ottawa Tavern on July 16. Formerly of the duo Shuttlecock, Hubbell’s drumming took a new creative direction when he stumbled upon an electronic drum set several years back. “I always liked a lot of different kinds of music, and then back in I guess the late ’90s maybe, I was just in a drum shop and found a set of old, Simmons electronic drums just sitting in a corner and I thought, ‘That looks kind of interesting,’” Hubbell said. “So I bought those, started using them in the band I was in at the time a little bit. I didn’t really know what I was doing with them yet as far as how I wanted to use them, so it just took a little while to get that going. Then I realized you could take these old, analog, electronic drums and pitch them up to an actual pitch, and I started playing simple little things on that.” Hubbell started experimenting with the different sounds in Shuttlecock, sounds which eventually led him to start Flamtronic with Joel Roberts (synths, vocals) of goLab and Stylex and Brandon Boltz (synths, bass, vocals) of My Special Agent. Mashing together a unique setup of both electronic and acoustic drums, Hubbell is able to create a variety of sounds not typical to the normal drum kit.
Flamtronic will play at the Ottawa Tavern on July 16. PHOTO COURTESY JOHN HUBBELL
“It’s computer-based now,” Hubbell said. “The pads that I have trigger sounds in the laptop, so I can use soft synths, which are just software models of synthesizers, and I can set all that up and play notes out of that. Then, I can also at the same time use a sampler to play other sounds underneath.” The result is an eclectic sound the band crafted on its debut album, “Something Primate,” which was released on Pretend Records in April. The family involvement for Hubbell’s music also came full circle with “Something Primate.” The album title was actually inspired by a watercolor painting Hubbell’s now 4-year-old daughter did when she was 2-and-a-half, one which Pretend Records’ coowner/operator Dustin Hostetler ended up using as the cover art for the record. “We got talking and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t know what to name this, but I think it should have primate — something pri-
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mate in the name. I don’t know that the something would be any good; how about just “Something Primate”?’” Hubbell said. “He was like, ‘Oh, OK. That sounds good.’ So Dustin gets the credit I guess for naming that CD.” Hubbell said he strives for uniqueness in Flamtronic’s music, emphasizing improvisation when playing in front of audiences. “It’s a very kind of seat-of-your-pants playing style,” Hubbell said. “And so I think that maybe some of that excitement that we’re getting while we’re playing — because we don’t know what’s coming next for sure translates out to the audience, and hopefully they have fun with that as well.” Flamtronic will be at the Ottawa Tavern, located at 1817 Adams St., on July 16 with Patrons of Sweet. The show is free and starts at 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.otavern. com or call (419) 725-5483. To check out Flamtronic, visit www. facebook.com/flamtronic or www.myspace.com/flamtronic. O
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”With a warning label this big, you know they gotta be fun!” — Hermes, “Futurama”
Cosplay on the Maumee By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com
With more guests, vendors, artists and gaming space than ever before, anime and gaming fans won’t want to miss this year’s Glass City Con, organizers say. The event will feature three anime screening rooms, four rooms of panel speakers, two performance stages, an expanded tabletop gaming area and an expanded video gaming area, featuring eight donated flat-screen TVs, said convention organizer and event cofounder Chris Zasada. The third annual Glass City Con, which is free and open to the public, is set for July 9 and 10 at Owens Community College, 30335 Oregon Road, in Perrysburg. Hours are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. July 9 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 10. “We get a lot of local people who are just kind of curious and want to check it out,” Zasada said. “But we do have quite a following with people saying they can’t wait to come and they had such a great time last year.” Originally known as GarasuNoShiCon — Japanese for Glass City Con — the event started in 2009 with about 500 attendees and 20 artists and vendors; the second year, it more than doubled in size, with 1,100 registered attendees and 47 artists and vendors. This year, 44 artists and 28 vendors are expected. Many attendees will be in costume, Zasada said. “You’ll see some pretty impressive costumes here. That’s something we’ve become known for is our support of cosplay,” Zasada said. “People get pretty excited to try out or show off their costumes and their passion.” Cosplay — short for costume play — is one of the biggest draws at Glass City Con, Zasada said. Prizes are awarded for costume craftsmanship and skit performance. “It usually packs the event rooms,” Zasada said. “Lots of people like to watch people go by in their costumes or perform the skits.” A live auction after the cosplay competition will benefit Child’s Play, a charity that donates
money, video games, DVDs and other entertainment to children’s hospitals around the world. New guests this year include Findlay-based video game podcasters Classic 1337, video game developer Distant Star Games, voice actress Tiffany Grant, writer John Oppliger, writer/producer/director Matt Greenfield and artist and voice actor Doug Smith. Linkwise Productions Inc. will screen its independent film “Cosplayers” at its first convention appearance outside the western New York and Southern Ontario area. Anime titles to be screened include “Hetalia: Axis Powers,” “Evangelion 2.22,” “Summer Wars,” “Highschool of the Dead,” and “Dance in the Vampire Bund,” Zasada said. Another highly anticipated screening will be the classic television series “Dirty Pair.” “It’s been a series American hardcore fans have been asking for for years,” he said. Robert Axelrod — best known as the voice of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers villain Lord Zedd — will be back this year. “There’s still people who are fans of that era of Power Rangers who are excited to see him and want to meet the voice of Lord Zedd,” Zasada said. “He also speaks of his experiences in film and does a voice-acting panel. He gives people copies from an actual script and has them read and gives them pointers. He shows them what it’s like to do voice acting or onstage acting. He likes to get some interactive stuff going on.” AXELROD Also returning will be fire artist Gwydion aka Anthony Doherty, Sailor Moon musical tribute group The Salad Time Soldiers, musician Gavin Goszka and Toledo kimono specialist Kerry Porter. The event is primarily an anime convention, but there will also be tabletop gaming, like “Dungeons & Dragons,” and live action role-playing events, including “Eaten Alive”
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Owens to host expanded Glass City Con July 9-10.
Lansing’s Year 200X is among the video game cover bands at Glass City Con. PHOTO COURTESY YEAR 200X
and “Battle Arena,” Zasada said. Several anime and video game cover bands will perform, including The Mini-GAME from Bowling Green and metal group Year 200X from Lansing. “There’s actually a lot of them around, but they’re pretty underground,” Zasada said. “These are pretty well-known amongst the fan base.” Video game developer Galloping Ghost Productions is bringing arcade machines, said Aaron Auzins, co-founder of Glass City Con and head of gaming for the event. “There’s really nowhere in this area that offers the arcade experience,” Auzins said. “We give people the opportunity to play coin-operated games the way they were meant to be played.” Attendees will also have the opportunity to play Japanese video games not available in the
U.S., Auzins said. A rave is also planned, featuring DJ TKR of Cincinnati, Auzins said. “We do actually have guests who come primarily for the rave,” Auzins said. “It’s kind of a different culture associated with the rave.” The social aspect of the convention is one of its biggest draws, Auzins said. “People just like to come out and play with other people; it doesn’t really matter what the game is,” Auzins said. “Just to get out of the house and meet with their friends or meet other people.” Zasada agreed. “We just hope they come here and have a good time hanging out and meeting people who have similar interests they do,” Zasada said. For more information, including a full event schedule, visit www.glasscitycon.com. O
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“Just because I’m stupider than them they think they’re smarter than me.” — Professor Farnsworth, “Futurama”
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 5
Blues traveler
Wilson explores new territory with The Staving Chain. By Mike Bauman Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer mbauman@toledofreepress.com
Having been firmly rooted in the blues for nearly two decades, Northwest Ohio native Dooley Wilson is a little timid about admitting where his initial inspiration came from. “I think it really began before I picked up a guitar,” Wilson said in a phone interview with Toledo Free Press Star. “I have to admit, when I was 15, “Sweet Child o’ Mine” came out, and the solo from that song is the reason that I play guitar. Like I saw Slash doing that and — I feel a bit sheepish admitting this to the Toledo Free Press — but when I saw Slash doing that it changed my life. I was like, ‘I wanna do that! I can’t help it. I gotta do it.’ So, for better or for worse, that’s the road I took in life.” While he never learned Slash’s note-by-note solo in “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” it marked the beginning of a long musical journey for Wilson, whose interest in Led Zeppelin as a teenager got him into Robert Johnson and led him to pursue the blues. “By the time I was 19, I was just exclusively kind of militant about pursuing this style of southern, traditional blues,” Wilson said. Since the early ’90s, Wilson has explored var-
ious forms of blues in groups such as Henry & June, Boogaloosa Prayer and the Soledad Brothers. After a jam session at the old Purple Gang house in Luna Pier last year, Wilson got inspired to start his latest venture. He is the vocalist and plays slide on the resophonic guitar for The Staving Chain, an authentic Delta blues outfit rounded out by John Roundcity (harmonica, mandolin, washboard), Todd Albright (acoustic guitar) and newest member Kassie Morrin (washboard). On June 21, The Staving Chain released its self-titled, debut album on Danger Limited Sound Recording Company and will be playing at Manhattan’s on July 8 as part of a string of dates supporting the record. Staying true to the origins of Delta blues, The Staving Chain is exclusively acoustic. Albright plays a 1928 Stella, a guitar commonly used in old Delta blues. “Culturally it’s very compelling, and it’s also humbling when you’re like a white guy from the suburbs because my life experience is so completely removed from the hardships that gave birth to that music and that culture,” Wilson said. Don’t let Wilson fool you. The white kid from the suburbs has earned his stripes and become well-respected in the blues community over the years. In the fall of 2001, Wilson went down to New Orleans and worked on his chops for up to
Dooley Wilson and The Staving Chain will play Manhattan’s on July 8. PHOTO COURTESY DANGER LIMITED RECORDING COMPANY
five hours a day as a street musician, alongside some of the best in the genre. In 2004 and 2005, Wilson traveled to Europe as a supporting act with the Soledad Brothers, whose connections with The White Stripes led to the Detroit rockers famously covering Henry & June’s “Goin’ Back to Memphis.” “It’s a wonderful thing for me because it looks great on my résumé that The White Stripes cover my song,” Wilson said. “I had just come back home and was trying to get back on my feet again when I saw him cover that song on ‘Late Night [with] Conan O’Brien.’ I didn’t know whether to s--t or go blind. I felt so great.” For a guy who has been honing his craft and
fascinated by the blues since his late teens, the decision for Wilson to pursue the Delta blues with The Staving Chain was a natural progression, one that has him just as excited about music now as when he first heard “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” “There’s just nothing like it,” Wilson said. “It grabs me by the nuts and lifts me above the shite.” The Staving Chain will be at Manhattan’s, 1516 Adams St., on July 8 with Sarah Cohen & Friends. For more information, visit www. manhattanstoledo.com or call (419) 243-6675. To check out more on The Staving Chain, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ pages/The-Staving-Chain/160765533961342 or dangerlimitedsound.com. O
6 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
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to use. Like Master Chief from the “Halo” game series, players have a computerized assistant — this one is called SAM (Situational Awareness Module) who talks players through various plot points. This dynamic works well as gamers are used to it from their other gaming experiences, but “Red Faction” still has enough original elements, like the surprisingly destructive magnet gun. The Martian antagonists are tough and plentiful. The first two hours went by quickly with great satisfaction and 355 enemies defeated. The game includes an Infestation mode where players face wave upon wave of the Martian horde. Ruin mode is available for download, in which you score points for destroying anything in sight. Co-op, online and multiplayer modes support up to four players. A satisfying, fun adventure and a good shooter (***, also available on PC, Xbox and PlayStation 3, rated M for violence, occasional coarse language, blood and gore). O — Tim Mackley
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Fry: “Why would a robot need to drink?” Bender: “I don’t need to drink. I can quit anytime I want!”
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 7
Raceway Park is Summer’s Best Bet for Entertainment!
July 9th Party @ The Park
featuring
Dollar Day A recent rehearsal for the original musical ‘Ottville.’ PHOTO COURTESY TREVOR DORNER
Perrysburg grads write, stage ‘Ottville’ By Zach Davis Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer zdavis@toledofreepress.com
A pair of recently graduated Perrysburg High School students are putting on the original musical “Ottville.” Performances will take place from July 8-9 at 8 p.m. and July 10 at 2 p.m. in the Juliet Beck Auditorium of the Commodore Building in Perrysburg. “Ottville” follows the story of a town in turmoil as the poor segment of the population begins a revolt against the government. “There’s a harsh social vision between the rich and the poor,” said co-producer Trevor Dorner. “The story follows the revolutionary leader of the poor as he leads the revolt against the government, mostly aimed at the military. It’s very much a militaristic government, just there oppressing the people, and he thought he could lead a revolt against it. Interwoven through that he ends up falling in love with the leader of the town’s niece.” Dorner, 18, worked on the musical with his friend and classmate Edward Bean. Bean approached Dorner three years ago with the idea
and a rough plot outline and the two decided to put the idea into motion. “The original concept was to just write a book but then he decided that wasn’t really what he wanted to do so he enlisted me and we decided to make it into a musical,” Dorner said. “We were both involved in musicals at Perrysburg High School so both of us have a passion for music and musical theater as a whole. We just thought that would be the most effective way of presenting the story, in a musical fashion.” As for the name “Ottville,” Bean was inspired to name the town after a furniture piece, the ottoman. “He looked at an ottoman and thought it was such a random piece of furniture to have,” Dorner said. “It was just there to be there. That is kind of like the city in the musical, it’s there because it’s always been there and there’s really no reason why it is the way it is. It’s just kind of tradition.” The talent in the musical will be made up of 25 local students who were picked after auditions ranging from college to middle school. The actors have rehearsed five days a week since May. Tickets will be on sale — $8 for adults and $5 for students — on July 6-7 from 8-9 p.m. in the Commodore Building at 140 E. Indiana Ave. O
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8 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
Leela: “Bender, we’re trying our best.” Bender: “Your best is an idiot!” — “Futurama”
UT professor wins award at LA festival By John Dorsey Toledo Free Press STAR Staff Writer jdorsey@toledofreepress.com
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Does it ever seem like your life is one big rat race? Local filmmaker Holly Hey knows exactly how you feel. Hey, an assistant professor of film at the University of Toledo, was recently awarded honorable mention in the short documentaries category at the 2011 LA Art House Film Festival for her film “Rat Stories.” “The project first got started in 2006 after the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities put out a call for films,” Hey said. “I started to think about the economic class divide between in the east side of Province and the lower income area on the west side, where a lot of properties were just not being kept up and there was a huge rat population. My partner and I took a rat from the west side and let it go on the east side to give it a better life and decided to document it and the film was born out of that.” Hey earned an Master of Fine Arts in filmmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a bachelor’s in photography from Ohio University. Her films and videos have shown at the Autumn Lights Los Angeles, the Mix Festival New York, the Onion City Film Festival Chicago, the Denver International Film Festival, the Athens International Film and Video festival, the Vancouver Queer Film and Video Festival. “I started out wanting to make a feature, but was told the piece was too long, so I cut it down to 30 minutes and got a much better response,” she said. “The film is being distributed by
‘‘
This was my first documentary and was definitely the most challenging piece I’ve ever worked on.
Holly HEY
Director, ‘Rat Stories’
’’
NETA, the National Educational Television Association, and will air on WGTE in September. This was my first documentary and was definitely the most challenging piece I’ve ever worked on. I wanted to disrupt cultural biases and reflect humanity’s image back on itself. The rats are there to make the people in the film visible, they’re the real fringe culture.” Hey has received grant funding for her next project, “The Dum Dum Capitol of the World,” which explores growing up in a rural area while coming to terms with her sexuality. She also has a video installation, “Burning the Maples,” on display in the Secor Building through July 16. The Secor is located Downtown at 425 Jefferson Ave. There will be a closing reception for the installation from 6 to 11 p.m. For more information on “Rat Stories,” visit ratstoriesmovie.com. O
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“I usually try to keep my sadness pent up inside where it can fester quietly as a mental illness.” — Leela, “Futurama”
Smoke on the Water — Ribs for the Red Cross will feature a full slate of local, regional and national rib vendors. For the third straight year, all rib vendor space has sold out for the annual American Red Cross Greater Toledo Area Chapter fundraiser. This year’s confirmed vendors will include: AJ Doolittles (Lambertville), Baldy Q Rib Shack (Swanton), Big Moe’s (Kalamazoo), Deet’s BBQ (Maumee), Famous Dave’s (Toledo), Johnson’s BBQ (Chesapeake, Va.), Po Mo’s Ribs (Toledo), Sgt. Oinks (Tiffin), Sidelines (Lambertville), Texas Roadhouse (Toledo) and Twist & Shout 4 BBQ (Carey, Ohio). “Again this year, vendor interest in our event has been amazing!,” said Event Coordinator Stephanie Lent, in a news release. “We are at full capacity and have a waiting list of additional vendors. We have a great collection of local, regional and national vendors for a diverse collection of ribbers. The 2011 Smoke on the Water — Ribs for the Red Cross will be an amazing event in Downtown Toledo!” The event is set for Aug. 5-7 at Promenade Park. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 5-6 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 7. Admission is $5, with kids 12 and younger free. All proceeds will stay local. Last year’s event drew 30,000 people and raised more than $65,000, Lent said. Green River Ordinance (Aug. 5), Tonic (Aug. 6) and John Michael Montgomery (Aug. 7) will perform.
Associated Press
Vendors named for Smoke on the Water
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 9
Glass Whispers, LLC Commissioned Memorial
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MONTGOMERY New this year, organizers are working with Imagination Station to offer activities and demonstrations for kids. Also new will be a cornhole tournament organized by a local cornhole group, said Event Chairperson Rachel Hepner Zawodny. Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star are media sponsors of the event. For tickets or more information, call (419) 329-2619 or visit www.ribs4redcross.com.O — Sarah Ottney
Please call to discuss in detail the ordering of your commissioned piece. Contact:
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10 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
Leela: “Kids don’t turn rotten just from watching TV.” Fry: “Yeah. Give a little credit to our public schools.” — “Futurama”
Wild, wild West Detroit native returns for new season of ‘Futurama.’ By Jason Mack Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer jmack@toledofreepress.com
Billy West manipulates his voice for comedic effect in cartoons like “Futurama,” but he developed his craft as a coping mechanism during an abusive childhood. “I came from an incredibly violent household,” West said. “I was traumatized, and I lived in my own world. That’s probably where my ADD came from. I couldn’t pay attention to anything that was real.” Growing up in Detroit as the oldest of three sons, West was physically abused by his alcoholic father. He often used comedy to comfort his mother and used characters as a means to escape. WEST “I made up my whole world I lived in and populated it with these entities and characters. For what, I’ll never know. There was no way you could have a future doing those kinds of things, or so people told you. They said, ‘What are you going to do? You better get with reality and cut the crap. Stop living in these parallel universes.’ I didn’t want to come back. Coming back was too painful. I didn’t want to leave. That’s kind of how I grew up.” When he was in the sixth grade, his mother got a divorce and moved the family to Boston. West, 61, began abusing drugs and alcohol around the age of 21. He entered rehab after a series of car accidents and has been sober for nearly 28 years. “I was always messing around with noises and voices,” West said. “I studied people. I was like an alien. I felt really disenfranchised as a kid. I used to watch others to see how to be human. Like, ‘Oh, that’s how you cry. That’s how you laugh. That’s how you get mad, and that’s how you have fun.’ I never could experience it when
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I was little. I had to watch others doing things. Eventually, after years of therapy, I cut through a bunch of scar tissue and managed to put all those skills that were developed, out of total survival, to good use in the future. I’m applying myself every week on Comedy Central.” The sixth season of “Futurama” debuted June 30. West stars as Philip J. Fry, a delivery boy who was cryogenically frozen by accident on New Year’s Eve and wakes in the year 2999. West modeled Fry’s voice after himself at the age of 25. “I put the innocence that I had into the character,” he said. “Fry is kind of oblivious. I think Fry has ADD. I know I did. I also had OCD. Nothing registered in my head. I totally lived in my own world. I think I borrowed a little bit from that.” “Futurama” was developed by “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening. The first four seasons aired from 1999-2003 on FOX. After Comedy Central acquired its rights, the show released four direct-to-DVD films from 200709. The network then picked up the show for a 26-episode fifth season. “I always felt bad after the first go-round,” West said. “I said ‘How can they take this off television? It’s too good not to be on TV.’ If one thing ends, you just keep going. You never know when you’re recording anything that it’s going to be a cultural phenomenon. When it came back, I was thrilled because it’s my favorite show.” Like any other fan, West watches episodes for the first time when they air. “It’s surreal hearing my voice come out of anywhere,” he said. “I have to compartmentalize and think, it’s not me who did that so I can enjoy it. I act like I had nothing to do with it so I can enjoy the episode. I loved the premiere. I thought it played great. I’m sure when the cast gets together for table reads, we’ll get a good kick out of talking about it. It’s off to a good start.” Comedy Central apparently agrees; in March, the network ordered an additional 26-episode season to debut in 2012. n WEST CONTINUES ON 11
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Filling in for Phil
West initially auditioned for nearly every character on “Futurama.” He was cast as Professor Farnsworth and Dr. Zoidberg, but he earned the role of Fry after early casting changes. One character he didn’t audition for was Zapp Brannigan. The character was written for Phil Hartman, but he died before recording began and West stepped into the role. “I remember reading for it and doing sort of pompous disc jockeys I’ve worked with over the years that love their own voice,” West said. “I thought it was perfect for that character. I knew Phil Hartman, and we worked together. We spent the whole time talking about how we both had a love for radio. It ended up sounding like Phil Hartman. I thought of his pompousness when he did those kinds of characters. I put my own spin on it by exaggerating the ends of words.” The radio voice came easy for West, who worked on a morning radio show in Boston. When he moved to New York City, he did impressions on the “Howard Stern Show” from 1989-95. “I was always laughing,” he said. “It was so cathartic to be laughing all the time. I’d come out of there high from laughing. It really is a release.” With West also voicing various bit characters on “Futurama” such as Richard Nixon’s head, there have been several scenes where he essentially held a conversation with himself. During these recording sessions, he seamlessly transitions between voices in real time. While he enjoys talking to himself, he prefers recording with the other actors. “We kind of riff off each other,” he said. “Once somebody gets some silliness going and everybody piles on, that energy transfers to the script when you’re reading it. Stuff happens between the recordings that’s hilarious, too. It’s stuff nobody gets to hear. I think it’s good energy. We ad-lib all the time. They at least let us try ideas.”
Ren & Stimpy & Doug & ...
West is experienced in providing multiple voices thanks to his days as both main characters and various other roles on Nickelodeon’s “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” “That was so much screaming and yelling,” he said. “You could burn out on one character and not be able to do the other one. Both of them would gang up on you unless you did them one at a time. That was a tough one. I used to come out of there with no voice.”
I
He also provided the title character on Nickelodeon’s “Doug.” “I really enjoyed doing that show,” he said. “It was a really sweet show. I put a lot of myself into that character. I used to daydream all the time when I was in school. Occasionally I’ll see a Quailman costume at Comi-Con. It’s really heartwarming to see. I was the same way growing up in the ’50s, but we didn’t really have that freedom of expression. I tried like hell though to make costumes and superhero stuff.” His two shows premiered in 1991 and aired on Sundays along with “Rugrats” as the original Nicktoons. The trio formed somewhat of a cartoon dynasty for Nickelodeon. “It was exciting, because they were taking on the other networks as far as children’s programming,” West said. “That’s quite a bold venture, but they managed to do it. They gave the other networks a black eye and made their children’s programming look like garbage. Disney went nuts and was spectrum analyzing Nickelodeon. The other networks just gave up on Saturday mornings. They didn’t want to do animation anymore. The other networks were ripping out their hair.” West got to participate in another cartoon dynasty when he voiced Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the 1996 film “Space Jam” alongside Michael Jordan. He’s also voiced other iconic characters such as Shaggy, Woody Woodpecker and Popeye. “They are not characters I created,” West said. “The best work was done before any of us were born. I’m always glad for the opportunity to do a franchise character. Before I had a chance to formulate any characters of my own, I was being taken to school every morning by watching the old Warner Bros. stuff and all the other cartoons. I watched like a little sponge. I was such a student of animation.” Two of West’s heroes in voice acting are Jack Mercer and Jackson Beck, who voiced Popeye and Bluto, respectively. He met Beck in New York City while working together on a Fruit RollUps commercial. “I sat there working with him and felt somehow special I got to be in the same room with someone like that,” he said. “The guy was a titan. Here was this big beautiful voice of this guy I’d heard for so many years. I heard that voice my entire life. I was working with this mighty old lion. It was really intimidating. He enjoyed it and was a total pro. I went home so thrilled.”
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Billy West voices Ren, Stimpy and several ‘Futurama’ characters. PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
West has lent his voice to several other commercials, including playing the role of the Red M&M since 1996. “It’s an American icon, and it’s kind of a wiseguy, smart-alecky voice,” he said. “People like the red and yellow characters enough where we’ve been doing it for a long time. They put so much into the commercials. It’s the world’s most popular candy, so it’s exciting for me to do it.” While voice acting might sound like an easy job, West emphasized the complexity of the craft and is outspoken against the trend of handing roles to inexperienced celebrities. “People think you just show up and talk, garbage like that,” West said. “It’s not like that at all. There is so much more to it. You have to be able to convey and evoke emotions just with certain nuances in your voice. I don’t have the luxury of doing my own voice for everything. You can get it down as an actor. They aren’t going to change their voice much for roles. In voice acting, you do have to get rid of yourself all together.” West would like to keep celebrities away from his profession, and he is happy to reciprocate by staying out of their spotlight. “I kind of like it how I don’t get any attention,” he said. “The work speaks for itself. I don’t need to be a
celebrity. Celebrities aren’t my heroes. Artists are my heroes. If everybody is a celebrity, then nobody is. There are too many celebrities for almost no reason at all. To even think of myself like that is an absurdist notion.” He is content to stand behind the face of Fry at 10 p.m. Thursdays on Comedy Central. If he ever retires from acting, West might still put his voice to good use. He used to play guitar and sing in a band called Billy West and The Grief Counselors. “It’s very hard to get guys my age to come out and play,” he said. “They’re all married and have kids. Some of them have grandchildren. I have a room full of guitars and I just play. I’d love to get into a situation with some other players. I love playing music and singing.” O
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Compiled by Whitney Meschke Events are subject to change.
Centennial Terrace
O Rick Whited: July 7. O The Bridges: July 8-9.
MUSIC
Blind Pig
The Ark This small venue offers a showcase for lesser-known acts. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www.theark.org. O Boulder Acoustic Society, Joe Robinson: 8 p.m. July 6, $15. O Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers: 8 p.m. July 7, $13.50. O Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams: 8 p.m. July 8, $20. O Shawn Phillips: 8 p.m. July 9, $15. O Tom Rush: 7:30 p.m. July 10, $30. O Jolie Holland, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside: 8 p.m. July 11, $15. O Terrance Simien, the Zydeco Experience: 8 p.m. July 12, $15.
Bar 145 This new venue features burgers, bands and bourbon, if its slogan is to be believed. 5304 Monroe St. bar145toledo.com. O DJ J Wayne: Sundays. O Splendid Chaos: July 7. O Empire Drift: July 8. O Elixer: 5-7 p.m. July 9. O Jeff Stewart: July 12. O The Brave Youngsters: July 14. O Rockestra: July 15.
Bitter End Restaurant & Bar If you like your entertainment with a lake view, this may be your spot. 900 Anchor Pointe Road, Curtice. (419) 836-7044 or www.bitterendbar.com. O Doug Allen, Becca Nease: July 8. O Maxxband (Doors tribute): 9 p.m. July 9. O Elvis tribute: 4 p.m. July 10.
The Blarney Irish Pub Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www.theblarneyirishpub.com.
Famo us White Chicken Chili New England Clam Chow der
”My folks were always on me to groom myself and wear underpants. What am I, the pope?” — Fry, “Futurama”
A variety of rock, soul, pop and alternative acts perform at this bar. 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor. $3-$20 unless noted. (734) 996-8555 or blindpigmusic.com. O Burton’s Garden, 9 Years Away, the Night Manager, Seth Patrick: 9:30 p.m. July 6. O Celsius Electronics, D Squeeze x Man in Charge, Nickie P., Hir-o & Friends, Clavius Crates, Prhyme Rhyme Boss, DJ Cataclysmic: 9:30 p.m. July 7. O Chris Webby, Ajax & the Midwest Connoisseurs: 8 p.m. July 8. O The Bang! 9:30 p.m. July 9. O Steddy P & DJ Mahf, Progress Report, SA, Obie Iyoha, Raw, Dastardly Kids, DJ Cataclysmic: 9:30 p.m. July 12. O God Against God, Superlast: 9:30 p.m. July 13.
Bretz Bar 2012 Adams St. (419) 243-1900. O Deja Dellataro and Felaciana Thunderpussy: ThursdaysSaturdays.
Bronze Boar
This venue next to a quarry hosts dance parties, swing bands and rockers. 5773 Centennial Road, Sylvania. (419) 882-1500 or www.ticketmaster.com. O Umphrey’s McGee: 8 p.m. July 7, $20. O Swingmania: 7:30-11 p.m. July 9, $10. O Night Session Big Band: 7:30-10:30 p.m. July 13, $8.
Cheetah’s Den A different band performs each week. 702 E. Broadway St. (419) 754-1903. O DJ Lamont: Tuesdays. O Devious: Thursdays (also open mic night)-Saturdays.
Dégagé Jazz Café Signature drinks, such as pumpkin martinis, plus live local jazz performers. 301 River Road, Maumee. $5 weekends for cafe seating. (419) 794-8205 or www.degagejazzcafe.com. O Gene Parker & Friends: 7-10 p.m. July 6 and 13. O Leo Darrington: July 7. O Paul Vornhagen: 7:30-11:30 p.m. July 8-9. O Michael Peslikis: July 12.
The Distillery
Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www.bronzeboar.com. O Open mic night with Chris Knopp: Mondays. O Luke James: Tuesdays. O Jerod: Wednesdays and Thursdays. O Stonehouse: July 8. O Gin Bunny: July 9.
Karaoke is offered Tuesdays, but paid entertainers rock out Wednesdays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www.thedistilleryonline.com. O Gregg Aranda: Tuesdays. O Ryan Dunlap: July 6. O Calen Savidge: July 7. O Booyah: July 8. O Ben Barefoot and the Handshakes: July 9. O Dave Carpenter: July 13.
Caesars Windsor
Fat Fish Blue
Consider hopping the Detroit River for this casino’s entertainment offerings. Ticket prices, in Canadian dollars, are for the cheapest seats; attendees must be 19 or older. Caesars Windsor Colosseum, 377 Riverside Dr. East, Windsor, Ontario. (800) 991-7777 or www.caesarswindsor.com. O Julio Iglesias: 9 p.m. July 9, $30. O Patti Labelle: 9 p.m. July 15, $25.
Serving blues and similar sounds, as well as bayoustyle grub. Levis Commons, 6140 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg. (419) 931-3474 or fatfishfunnybonetoledo.com. O Arctic Clam: 9:30 p.m. July 8.
Ho mema de So ups Panini Grille d Sandwiches
7723 Airport Highway • Holland 419.491.0098
French Quarter J. Pat’s Pub Live entertainment after 9:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg.
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(419) 874-3111 or www.hifq.com. O The Late Show: July 8-9.
ICE Restaurant & Bar This local, family-owned enterprise offers food, drinks and music in a sleek atmosphere. 405 Madison Ave. (419) 2463339 or icerestaurantandbar.com. O Berlin Brothers: 7 p.m. July 8 and 15. O Dan and Don: 7 p.m. July 9.
JJ’s Pub Live music is on the menu Saturdays; the genre varies, along with the cover charge. Karaoke is on tap 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, and a DJ starts spinning at 9 p.m. Fridays. 26611 N. Dixie Hwy., Perrysburg. (419) 874-9058 or jjsperrysburg.com. O John Barile and Bobby May: 8 p.m. July 12.
Kerrytown Concert House This venue focuses on classical, jazz and opera artists and music. 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. $5-$30, unless noted. (734) 769-2999 or www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com. O Louis Nagel: 8 p.m. July 6-7, 4 p.m. July 9-10. O Hard Road Trio: 8 p.m. July 12.
Mainstreet Bar and Grill Ronn Daniels performs weekly at this pub. 8-11 p.m. Thursdays, 141 Main St. (419) 697-6297 or www.toledomainstreet.com. O Rock showcases: July 9, $5.
Manhattan’s This “slice of the Big Apple” in the Glass City provides entertainment most weekends. 1516 Adams St. (419) 243-6675 or www.manhattanstoledo.com. O Vytas and Steve: 7-10 p.m. Wednesdays. O Open mic with Bread and Butter: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays. O Quick Trio: 6 p.m. July 7. O Sarah Cohen & Friends: July 8. O Quartet Bernadette: 7 p.m. July 9.
Mickey Finn’s A variety of genres to wash your drinks down with. Open mic nights, 9 p.m. Wednesdays, no cover; $5-$7 cover other nights. 602 Lagrange St. (419) 246-3466 or www.mickeyfinnspub.com.
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“I love this planet! I’ve got wealth, fame, and access to the depths of sleaze that those things bring.” — Bender, “Futurama” Mickey Finn’s (cont.)
Robinwood Concert House
O Justajunkie Films: 8 p.m. Thursdays. O Decent Folk, Indigo: 8:30 p.m. July 8. O Hotel War, Match by Match, A. Michah Adams: 8:30
A home for the avant garde and untraditional, this Old West End venue hosts artists on the experimental end of the musical rainbow. 9 p.m., 2564 Robinwood Ave. $5 donation, unless noted. www.toledobellows.wordpress.com. O Premoticon, Swirm: July 6.
p.m. July 9.
Mutz @ The Oliver House This pub offers handcrafted brews … and live entertainment. 27 Broadway. (419) 243-1302 or www.ohmaumeebaybrewingco.com. O Open mic hosted by Breaking Ground: 10 p.m. Wednesdays. O Karaoke: 10 p.m. Thursdays. O DJs Dirty Baby, APB, Russell Jones: Saturdays.
Spicy Tuna
Omni
Stella’s
This club is a venue for music (and music lovers) of all types. 2567 W. Bancroft St. (419) 535-6664 or omnimidwest.com. O Jack’s Mannequin, Steel Train, Lady Danville: 6 p.m. July 6, $20.50.
Nouveau cuisine gets a helping of music Thursdays through Saturdays. 104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg. (419) 873-8360 or www.stellasrestaurantandbar.com. O Eddie Molina, Charlene Ransom: July 7. O Eddie Molina, Karen Harris: July 8. O Alvin Jones, Marcia Jones: July 9.
Ottawa Tavern Casual meals with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. O Album, Superpredator: 10 p.m. July 7. O Way Yes! Great Uncle, Balloon Messenger: 10 p.m. July 8. O Desert Noises: 10 p.m. July 12.
Party at the Park The track hosts concerts before the evening’s harness races. 5 p.m. Saturdays, Raceway Park, 5700 Telegraph Rd. $2. (419) 476-7751 or www.racewayparktoledo.com.
Pizza Papalis Get slices with a topping of entertainment. 519 Monroe St. (419) 244-7722 or www.pizzapapalis.com. O Zak Shaffer: July 8. O Suburban Soul: July 9.
Now Open! »
Daily Specials
»
Enjoy our patio before and after Mud Hen games!
This sushi bar offers occasional entertainment to accompany the fishy dishes. 7130 Airport Hwy. (419) 720-9333 or spicytunasushi.com. O DJ Jimmy James: 10 p.m. Fridays. O Karaoke: 10 p.m. Saturdays.
Tequila Sheila’s
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 13
Tuesday: All Sandwiches with Fries $5 1 Wednesday: /2 Off Burgers Thursday: $4 Chicken Chunks Friday: $7.99 Fish and Chips Saturday: 75¢ jumbo chicken wings
» Located across from Fifth Third Field.
A corner bar-type hangout with DJ-provided tunes on Saturday nights. 702 Monroe St. (419) 241-1118. O Open mic with Jason Kelley: 9 p.m. Thursdays. O Hip-hop night: 9 p.m. Fridays.
The Village Idiot Tunes combined with pizza and booze, some would say it’s a perfect combination. 309 Conant St., Maumee. (419) 8937281, (419) 740-2395 or www.villageidiotmaumee.com. O Old West End Productions: Wednesdays. O Bob Rex: Sunday afternoons.
Check out the expanded calendar at www.toledofreepress.com
Tues-Fri: 11 a.m.–2 p.m. 5 p.m.–2 a.m. Sat: 5 p.m.–2 a.m.
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14 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
Legendary artist influenced a generation By Jim Beard Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com
Every once in a while, a comic book artist comes along who rises above the rest and not only establishes a unique visual language, but cements himself for years to come in the minds of fans. The late Gene Colan was one of those artists. An integral part of Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee’s juggernaut of style in the “Silver Age” of the 1960s, Colan, who died June 23, leaves behind a body of work that’s still discussed by aficionados. “Gene ‘The Dean’ Colan has left us for that drawing table in the sky,” said Jim Collins of JC’s Comic Stop. “It saddens me that Gene was never thought of in the same light as Jack ‘King’ Kirby by the industry as a whole, but this does not diminish the body of work he produced over fifty years. As with Jack, Gene most certainly influenced a generation of artists.” A kid from The Bronx, Colan gained art experience in the 1940s in the neophyte comics industry as well as in the Army Air
Corps in World War II. He went on to win multiple awards and also give back to budding illustrators as an art instructor. “I was first aware of Gene when he was doing the art on Sub-Mariner in ‘Tales to Astonish’ for Marvel (1965-66),” Collins said. “He quickly became one of my favorite artists, working on ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Daredevil,’ ‘Tomb of Dracula,’ ‘Captain America,’ ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Howard the Duck.’ Gene’s art style was unlike anyone else’s; there was no mistaking him for [artists] Don Heck, George Tuska, Gil Kane, John Romita, Steve Ditko or Kirby. “His storytelling was unique onto itself. My favorite work of his had to be ‘Howard the Duck.’ Along with Steve Gerber’s writing, Gene’s art had me looking forward each and every month to see what was in store for the fowl that was ‘Trapped in A World He Never Made’.” Collins said Colan lives on in the comics he drew, easily accessed in this day of reprints and digital copies. “Gene,” he said, “thank you for the enjoyment you’ve given me and your legion of fans out there. It’s a sadder world without you.” O
ParkSmart multi-level parking garages are conveniently located close to the Huntington Center, SeaGate Convention Centre, Fifth Third Field, Imagination Station, Valentine Theatre, Crowne Plaza Hotel and Promenade Park on the Maumee River. When you plan your next visit to downtown Toledo check out our website: www.parksmart.org Downtown Toledo Parking Authority • 227 North St. Clair Street • Toledo, Ohio 43604 • 419-242-7515
“Ah, the ‘Breakfast Club’ soundtrack! I can’t wait til I’m old enough to feel ways about stuff!” — Fry, “Futurama”
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 15
16 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
”Oh dear! She’s stuck in an infinite loop, and he’s an idiot! Well, that’s love for you.” — Professor Farnsworth, “Futurama”
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Showdown, derby highlight Lucas County Fair Smash hits will happen all evening July 30 at the Lucas County Fair. The demolition derby will kick off at 6 p.m. at the arena. Cost is $3. The derby will be followed at 9 p.m. by the Texaco Country Showdown, featuring 15 area singers competing for a chance at a national title. “The derby is always a big draw,” said Keith Carr, one of the fair board directors. “When that ends, we want everyone to come right over to the Texaco Country Showdown.” The showdown, which is included with fair admission, is the final round, locally, of America’s largest country music talent show. The competition is sponsored by 107.7 The Wolf and Toledo Free Press. The winner will receive an autographed guitar from country music singer Jason Aldean and entrance into the state competition taking place in Marietta on Sept. 5. The national final will take place Jan. 31 in Nashville, with the winner receiving a grand prize of $100,000. Each state champion receives a prize of $1,000.
Of the 15 local competitors, 14 reside in Ohio and six are from Toledo. The entrants include: Abby Ray Band (Weston), Clark Manson Band (Covington), Troy Michael (Swanton), Katie Jordan (Toledo), Zach Shaffer (Toledo), Adrianna Rios (Toledo), Claire Cooper (Toledo), Kathleen Connolly (Swanton), Katie Rose Ialacci (Temperance, Mich.), Haley Olds (Monroeville), Connor Rose (Bowling Green), Annie Welch (Toledo), Alina Smith (Laurelville), Deana Cromly (Whitehouse) and Lexi Rapp (Toledo). The Rough Truck and ATV Event, set for 4 p.m. July 31 at the arena, is another popular event, Carr said. Cost is $3. “It’s trucks and souped-up four-wheel drives jumping up and down hills, going fast and trying not to roll over,” Carr said. The Lucas County Fair runs July 26-31. The fairgrounds are located at 1406 Key St., in Maumee. For more information, visit the website www. lucascountyfair.com. O — Staff reports
Chris Young, Steel Magnolia at Wood County Fair Country singer Chris Young and country duo Steel Magnolia will headline the grandstand entertainment Aug. 6 at the Wood County Fair. Billboard magazine recently called Young “a bona fide star” and “one of the most impressive voices among country’s new crop of male artists.” The Tennessee native, who has toured with Rascal Flatts and Alan Jackson, co-wrote seven of the 10 tracks on his new album, “NEON,” and will tour with Jason Aldean this summer. His last three singles hit No. 1 on the country music charts, with “Gettin’ You Home” earning him a 2010 Grammy nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Taylor Swift label mates Steel Magnolia released their self-titled debut album in January after winning the television talent show “Can You Duet.” Their first single, “Keep on Lovin’ You,” reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s country charts. Tickets to the 8:30 p.m. Aug. 6 concert cost $20-$27.50. For tickets, call (419) 352-0441 or visit the fair office administration building at the fairgrounds located at the corner of Poe and
Haskins roads in Bowling Green. The fair will run Aug. 2-8. For more information, visit www. woodcounty-fair.com. O
Josh Turner returning to Hillsdale
Josh Turner will bring his signature bass voice back to Hillsdale County Fair this fall after playing to a near sell-out audience last year. Tickets for the 7 p.m. Oct. 1 show cost $25-28. New events this year include the IMPACT Wrestling World Tour on Sept. 25 and country music station WIN 98.5’s Homegrown on the Road Concert Series on Sept. 28. For more information, visit the website www. hillsdalecountyfair.org. O
Kellie Pickler at Sandusky Fair
Kellie Pickler will play in Fremont at 8 p.m. Aug. 27. Tickets cost $13-$15. The fair will run Aug. 23-28. The fairgrounds are located at 901 Rawson Ave., in Fremont. For more information, visit the website www. sanduskycountyfair.com. O — Sarah Ottney
“You have a dime up your nose.” — Professor Farnsworth. “I wish! It’s a nickel.” — Fry, “Futurama”
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 17
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18 n JULY 6, 2011 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM
Catch “Jedi of Pop Culture” Jeff McGinnis Tuesday mornings on 92.5 KISS-FM
Reasoning with vampires
A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol. 2, No. 27 Established 2010. Thomas F. Pounds, President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller, Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com EDITORIAL
Mary Ann Stearns, Design Editor mastearns@toledofreepress.com James A. Molnar, Lead Designer jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Brandi Barhite, Associate Editor bbarhite@toledofreepress.com Sarah Ottney, Special Sections Editor sottney@toledofreepress.com Chris Schmidbauer, Sports Editor cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com Lisa Renee Ward, Web Editor star@toledofreepress.com ADMINISTRATION
Pam Burson, Business Manager pburson@toledofreepress.com CONTRIBUTORS star@toledofreepress.com
Jim Beard • Amy Campbell • Zach Davis John Dorsey • Matt Feher • Jerry Gray Dustin Hostetler • Stacy Jurich Vicki L. Kroll • lilD • Martini • Jason Mack Jeff McGinnis • Whitney Meschke Kathryn Milstein • Rachel Richardson Patrick Timmis Julie Webster • Don Zellers Chris Kozak, Staff Writer Emeritus Lisa Renee Ward, Darcy Irons Sarah Ottney, Proofreaders ADVERTISING SALES
Renee Bergmooser, Sales Manager rbergmooser@toledofreepress.com Casey Fischer cfischer@toledofreepress.com Matt Mackowiak mmackowiak@toledofreepress.com Chick Reid creid@toledofreepress.com DISTRIBUTION
Charles Campos (419) 241-1700, Ext. 227 ccampos@toledofreepress.com
Toledo Free Press Star is published every Wednesday by Toledo Free Press, LLC, 605 Monroe St., Toledo, OH 43604 • (419) 241-1700 Fax: (419) 241-8828 www.toledofreepress.com. Subscription rate: $100 /year. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2011 with all rights reserved. Publication of ads does not imply endorsement of goods or services.
“About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him — and I didn’t know how potent that part might be — that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.” — Stephenie Meyer, “Twilight.” “About three things I am absolutely positive. First, ‘Twilight’ is a novel. Second, there is a group of people — and I don’t know what drugs those people are doing — who think this is a good novel. And third, ‘Twilight’ is unintelligently and irreparably full of awful writing.” — Dana, “Reasoning with Vampires.”
T
JEFF
stalking is really sweet, the way it’s framed. So I thought I should at least check.” Not only was Dana troubled by the story and characters, but she also was struck by how poorly written the whole enterprise was. It was plagued with bad word choices, unnecessary punctuation, terrible structure — things a competent editor would notice and correct. Even then, however, Dana’s first inclination was not to share her observations with the world. “I was going to just markup my copy of ‘Twilight’ and move on. But there’s not enough room in the margins for the things I had a problem with. And somehow the idea for the blog came about.” She began blogging “Reasoning with Vampires” in August of 2010. Each book is discussed in sequence: As of this writing, the blog is currently halfway through “New Moon,” the second in the series. Multiple times daily, Dana updates the page with snippets of text from a “Twilight” novel — scanned directly
mCGINNIS
POP GOES THE
CULTURE
he author of the blog “Reasoning with Vampires” prefers to be credited simply as Dana. She is not an English teacher, though one could be excused for thinking so, given her work on the site. For nearly a year, Dana has engaged in one of the most exhaustive and entertaining pieces of literary criticism ever seen: A page-by-page, almost line-by-line dissection of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” saga. She analyzes everything in the books, from poor writing and grammatical errors — and there are plenty — to head-scratching character choices and storytelling elements. Her work is so meticulous, even those who have never touched the novels can gain an excellent sense of what they are like and why Dana is so offended by their content. She learned of the phenomenon well into its run, Dana said in an interview with Toledo Free Press Star. “I first heard of ‘Twilight’ on NPR. I was a little behind, I think it was the summer that ‘Breaking Dawn’ came out, maybe 2007,” she said. “I got it for my boyfriend’s little sister for her birthday, because she really liked the books, but I didn’t actually know anything about them.” She didn’t read them herself until the spring of 2010. “My sister read them, and she just felt they were fantastic, and from what I heard about them, they just didn’t seem fantastic,” Dana said. “Hearing the way people talk about Edward and just how dreamy and wonderful he is, and he’s just kind of a tool,” Dana said with a laugh. “I don’t think it’s a really great model when your boyfriend starts by sneaking in your bedroom and watching you sleep. “I had an opinion about that. When ‘Twilight’ would come up — I’m not really a quiet person when it comes to things that I dislike — so I had no qualms in saying that, but it did feel that it’s not completely appropriate to make a lot of those leaps without actually reading the books. Maybe
Blog takes aim at ‘Twilight’ novels.
from the page — with her criticisms attached. These can range from simple grammatical notes to grand disgust with how lead character Bella is portrayed. On the whole, Dana said she finds the latter far more disturbing. “I think probably the characters themselves bother me more, because I think people read poorly written books all the time. I don’t think it’s necessarily disturbing, it’s just crappy,” Dana said. “I think I can handle ‘not good’ a little better.” Despite her ravaging criticisms, Dana said she hasn’t received many negative comments from the biggest “Twilight” fans. “I think I get one complaint to every 15 positive messages,” she said. “And actually, they’re not — most aren’t actual Twi-hards. I think most of the negative messages I get are ‘You’re being too nitpicky.’ Which I’m fine with, because my only thought is, ‘You don’t get what I’m doing’.” The most gratifying moments are when someone learns something from her writing. “Just recently, I got an email from somebody who had an English final that they think they did better on because they’re reading the blog, and that’s amazing. And while she was writing it she thought of her commas, and she thought, ‘What would Dana think of this comma?’” she said. Read “Reasoning with Vampires” at reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com/. O Email Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.
mexico
BRINGING THE FLAVORS OF
to northwest ohio
experience the
Northwest Ohioans have always enjoyed the hot flavors of Mexico, and our warm hospitality. Come to one of our restaurants and experience a delicious dining adventure tonight!
Loma-Linda’s
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Specializing in Mexican Food since 1955
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BARRON’S CAFE
Everything Mexican From Tacos to Enchiladas to Delicious Burritos
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“Good news, everyone! I’ve taught the toaster to feel love!” — Professor Farnsworth, “Futurama”
TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / JULY 6, 2011 n 19
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“When I’m with you, every day feels like double soup Tuesday.” — Fry, “Futurama”