I've safely made it to Austin and engaged in some pre-Free Comic Book Day frolicking. Randy Lander picked me up at the airport and then we met Bill Williams for a great lunch at Chuy's and some great conversation. Bill and I spent the afternoon jabbering about comics.
Then we met up at the Alamo Drafthouse to see Wolverine.
First, a word about the Drafthouse. It is awesome to the awesomest power. A place where you can sit in great comfort, get a beer, food, whatever, and watch a movie.
And it's just cool.
Instead of showing The Twenty, the show some odd YouTube clips and TV show snippets and stuff like that. Seeing Bill Bixby turn into the Incredible Hulk and beat up a gorilla… well, guy in a gorilla suit… well, that's just great.
They also run a lot of fun specials. While I was there, I saw promotions for special screenings of Airplane (with subtitles for the best lines), Caddyshack, and a Pirate special on a lake where you had to dress as a pirate to get in. Man, I wish there was a place like this in Ohio. I think I'd live there.
Then we saw X-Men Origins Wolverine.
I have to say, I had pretty low expectations for the film. After X3: X-Men United the X-franchise was kind of tainted. So, while my bar may have been low, I have to say, I thought it was solid.
Wolverine's comic book origin is only surpassed in complexity by the U.S. tax code, and been patched together by as many people with as many ideas. The movie does a good job of sorting things out, streamlining it. And it's remarkably faithful to the X-films.
For instance, you know how you see Cyclops in the trailers and wonder "Why didn't Scott recognize Wolverine in the first film?" Covered.
The bad? The last twenty minutes. There's a fair amount of silly to it. Just scenes that could have stood a rewrite or two. What happens is fine, it's just how it happens.
So, here's my one spoiler warning. It'll make sense when you see it. Magic memory erasing adamantium bullets? Especially when you've got a character with hypnotic powers who's caused Wolverine nothing but pain and could, as she's dying, tell him to forget and bring you to his messed up self at the start of the first film, and a lot cleaner than the MMEABs.
There's a few other things, too. Honestly, they're minor. Things could have been refined. But I have to say, it was way more entertaining than I thought. And, as Bill said afterwards, Hugh Jackman is just so committed to the role. He's so good at it. I hope it does well enough that they try again. And since Jackman is now a producer (and such a darn cool guy) maybe it will.
Okay, tomorrow, as I'm sure I mentioned, is Free Comic Book Day. I needs me some sleep so I can go sketch and be Castle-esquely charming for a day. Later.