I make no apologies for the fact that I am a lover of all kinds of media and I consider “media” a big-tent-term: books, movies, television, theater, comic books, news, I consider it all “media and I love it. All of it.
To close out the year (my first year blogging, by-the-way), I present my personal Top Ten Media Moments of the past twelve months. They are presented in 10 – 1 (1 being my Top Moment) with a few particular rules:
I had to see/experience them (sorry, Breaking Bad, I know you’re great… I just didn’t catch on – I am sure I will some day).
They didn’t have to begin this year (check my Turn off the Dark entry).
They could be from any of the categories mentioned above.
TOP TEN MEDIA MOMENTS – 2013
10. Todd Helton Retires
I’ve followed Helton’s career since he came to the Colorado Rockies and supplanted Andres Galarraga at first base. There have mainly been “ups” for the so-called “Greatest Rockie of All Time” and I was pleased to watch him go out with such class, pleased to see one of the last games of the last home stand in which he played and pleased to see the Denver Broncos give him a great ceremony at Sports Authority Field in the fall. Thanks for the memories, Todd.
Photo from The Denver Post
9. These Are the Voyages
Marc Cushman’s tell-all about the first season of Star Trek was so engrossing, I didn’t want to put it down and I didn’t want it to end. I am something of a Star Trek expert in-my-own-right (something of which I am actually proud) and thought I knew just about everything about the original series. Boy, was I wrong. Marc Cushman wrote an amazing book. I eagerly await the next two volumes.
Photo from Amazon.com
8. Twitter Celebs
I got into Twitter this year! I really found it a lot of fun. I really sound like I am one hundred years old! I was a bit star-struck, twice, when comic book celebrities responded to my tweets. First, Scott Snyder, writer of Batman and Superman Unchained and The Wake for DC Comics commented on a tweet concerning personal comic creator power rankings compiled with my good friend The Junior Senator. We’d ranked Snyder number six, tweeted the rankings to him (and others) to which he responded “I really like the guy at six.” Goosebumps. Then, for Halloween, I tweeted the picture below to the writer and artist of Daredevil. The artist, Chris Samnee, responded “awesome!” That is just how I felt.
I shaved my goatee to be blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Daredevil’s alter ego) for this photo. TOTALLY worth it.
7. Binge Television
The Cinnamon Girl binged on shows both old and new… Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and, my favorite The Newsroom. We watched seven episodes of the latter all in one night!
Photo from HBO.com
6. My Comic Books Go Digital
I spent the year weaning myself from newsprint. It was harder than I imagined it would be. However, I read some great books! Batman, Hawkeye, Daredevil, The Superior Spider-Man, Justice League and Forever Evil really kept feeding my comic addiction. There’s something about pressing “Download New Titles” on a Wednesday morning that is very, very cool.
Photo from DCComics.com
5. Peyton Manning, All Things Peyton Manning
The year may have started rocky with the Denver Broncos (the less said about last January, the better) but it’s ended in brilliant fashion. Stretch suggested it was a privilege to watch Manning play this year. He’s right. Magical and fun. Peyton Manning has been truly remarkable.
Did you see Gatorade’s tribute “51 and Counting”? Take a look:
4. Superman’s 75th Anniversary
The first and greatest hero had a remarkable year. The comic stories might have not always been terrific (though the year finished very well with the aforementioned Mr. Snyder taking on Superman Unchained) but the character had the media presence he deserved thanks to Man of Steel which was a colossal hit. The sequel Batman/Superman is on the way and I, for one, am glad to see the character who started it all so relevant this year. Spoiler alert: Batman’s 75th is 2014… I bet DC Comics has big things planned…
logo from DCComics.com
3. Pope Francis
Restoring faith. Defining mission. Bringing hope.
I am in awe.
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
2. “My name is Khan.”
My favorite movie moment of the year came in my favorite movie of the year: Star Trek Into Darkness. Though I felt the reveal of Benedict Cumberbatch as famous Trek villain Khan Noonien Singh was coming, I wasn’t sure until he said the words… and, when he did, shivers went down many spines, mine included. I loved the film and even now, with months between my initial reaction and now, I still think it’s one of the best Star Trek films ever made. Maybe, just maybe, the best.
1. Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark/Song of Spider-Man
The Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark is closing. I’ve seen it. Twice. This summer, the family and I went to New York and saw the show on Broadway. What a fun night. It’s not a great show, though the music is mighty good – thanks U2 and Reeve Carney (the star of the show). What’s amazing (pun intended) about it is that it is spectacular (pun intended). Really spectacular. Spider-men swinging over the stage, jumping from balconies, flying through the air. I loved, loved, loved sharing this with The Cinnamon Girl, HJ jr, Stretch and Sous Chef.
Oh, and the book Song of Spider-Man by Glen Berger that The Cinnamon Girl gave me for my birthday about the writing of the show was just as terrific. I read it in two nights. what a story!
And There Came a Day... 