During the month of September, I’ll be DJing the pre and post shows for grandstand concerts at the Los Angeles County Fair. I will likely not interact with the talent. I will not get you a free ticket. I will be working and not very chatty. I will rock the party that, likely, will rock your body, should you attend.

All shows take place at the Pomona Fairplex (I got lost on my way to Pomona once with my mom, ask me some time, funny story). I start rocking around 7:30 or 8 and will be done around midnight, at which time the fair closes and they will hurl you from the premises. Just kidding. Probably.

In order, here’s the list of shows I’m doing …

• George Benson and Chaka Khan, Thursday, September
  13, 2012
• Tower of Power feat. Average White Band, Friday,
  September 14, 2012
• Boyz 2 Men, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and En Vogue,
  Thursday, September 20, 2012
• War, Friday, September 21, 2012
• Old School Soul Jam (featuring Rose Royce, Heatwave, Lenny Williams & Evelyn “Champagne” King), Saturday, September 22, 2012
• Earth, Wind and Fire, Sunday, September 30, 2012

I already did one “warm up” show (because I was rusty and didn’t feel confident, but it went pretty well) where I did a mostly 80s set for the B-52s. Super fun getting a chance to play “The Batter Ram” and two songs by LA’s Dream Team!

I’m doing these shows in conjunction with YNotLive Entertainment, the company formerly known as Starlight Entertainment. I probably won’t be drunk. Right, then.

If you’re making the drive, be patient with the roads as they’re super crowded and stuff ain’t going anywhere. Leave early, be prepared for them to search your bags and have fun. I know I will!

Playing (Music): “Girls on Film” by Duran Duran

Every week I do a column full of comic book reviews as I’ve done since March 2003 and currently published at Comic Book Resources. Then, after the reviews post, I try to come over to my blog and expand on the thoughts and ideas listed there. Sometimes it’s profound, sometimes it’s gibberish, but it’s always about comics … let’s see what we get this week!

What? This week’s reviews …

SERIOUSLY? GONE FOR TWO WEEKS? First of all, shut up.

I overestimated my resources, trying to keep up with blogs, National Poetry Writing Month, the family man thing, the day gig thing and, oh yeah, launching a pop culture phenomenon called Komplicated all in one month. Something had to give. Family’s fine. Komplicated is fine. The rest … we do what we can. That’s no excuse, that’s just how it is.

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU … OR NOT: Comics came out on May 4th, recognized as “Star Wars Day” by those in the know due to being able to sound like Lucas memorable phrase, “may the Force be with you.” There’s May 25th (the day the first movie hit) for purists, but this one is no secret. Were there any Star Wars comics for sale from the license holders, Dark Horse? No. There was, admittedly, one for Free Comic Book Day three days later, but that’s not the same, is it?

I love Star Wars with a passion that borders on being scary. I’ve spent literally thousands of dollars through out my life to help Jett Lucas and hs descendants have college tuition. I get that. The idea that Dark Horse can’t consistently publish a Star Wars comic that I would pay for is inconceivable.

I know what’s wrong, of course. By and large, the artwork has been posterish and lacked dynamism. The stories have been byzantine and lacked quotability, memorable action (aside from Yoda’s Death Star ploy in Infinities, which just lacked visual grandeur) or gripping characterization. Some of that has to do with Lucasfilm’s twitchiness, probably, but still.

Would I ever pitch stories set in the Tatooine sandbox? Dark Horse doesn’t take cold pitches and failing to break into comics the last ten or so years has proven to me that such an approach is like lottery winners getting hit by lightning. Possible, but unlikely. So I pine for saber swinging, star destroying high adventure and move on, keeping my dollars in my pocket.

JUST SAYING: I’m gonna need Steve Rogers to know who S.W.O.R.D. Is. Seriously.

I also need Lex Luthor to be, I dunno, smart. Sometimes, not just off panel.

Yeah, I saw the typo in the Deadpool review that spell check let slide. You have to roll with it sometimes, and I type weird.

I miss Dwayne McDuffie.

THAT’S THE NEWS, AND I AM OUTTA HERE: That’ll do. Be back next week.

Probably.

Playing (Music): “Disappointment” by the Cranberries

Looking for your MP3 downloads?

They’re over at Komplicated … remember? That website I wrote a poem about? Yeah, it’s up and running.

I plan to finish my commitment to National Poetry Writing Month and do the last, very late poems. I also plan to drop the also very late commentary track for last week’s reviews. I hope that stuff hits by Wednesday.

Before I forget, on Sunday at noon you can catch me, my brilliant wife and Jabir Faqir discussing the Top Ten Greatest Songs in Hip Hop History LIVE at Geekweek on their broadcast platform. Hoo hah!

I’m tired. Bed now.

Playing (Music): “Words I Never Said” by Lupe Fiasco