Me, Fred Van Lente and ... What was I saying?

Memory's acting up again

Here’s something people don’t know about me or at least people that don’t really know me. I constantly say that I have bad memory. Is it really true? I have no fucking idea. I don’t know 100% what a normal memory really looks like but some times it feels that I can’t recall half of what my friends can recall.

I read biographies every now and then. One of the last ones I picked up was from Sam Neil and after about a chapter I was convinced I’ve had amnesia some time in my past and just no one really told me. I mean I was an active kid, I know for a fact I banged my head around a few times but this is unprecedented.

There are two points in this story and I am about to mention them so refrain from hitting that “back” arrow.

I always thought about writing my stories in one format or another, in the past but I am not sure if I ever really gave it an honest thought. It was always more like “Ha… that would be a good story for a comic” type of situation.

But seeing that I am spending quite a bit of time reading and writing about comics it felt like I could at the very least see how the whole script writing works. My search led me to no other than Fred Van Lente.

Fred has a Domestika course for beginners that I just found too appealing not to give a shot.

I know I know… I am just pushing this even further than usual.

Here’s the whole point about the memory shit I mentioned before.

First point. In the introduction of this course I became aware that I am jealous of Fred and at least part of the life he lived (since obviously I only know about him what I saw in that course). The story about growing up with comics, the book that his uncle gave to his family and the fact that he still has it with his own lettering inside. It broke me.

I always mentioned how I wanted to grow up with comics. Hand to heart I tried. But for whatever reason it was not possible for me and when he was explaining the magic feeling about his mother reading him stories at night from that comic book. I never felt more jealous of anyone (that day).

Point two. Hearing him introduce himself I figured out that I’ve read a few of his previous works as well. From Hercules to Hulk to some random bits and pieces through the years. I am just exceptionally bad with names. My entire life I meet someone on the street that he seems to remember me and I am like “No way he knows my name so we are going to be equally embarrassed” Only for them to be like

“Hey Angelos!! it’s been 16 years my god! remember this and that”

And I am like

“Hey buddy/friend/mate/!!”

Thankfully people really don’t take offense that easy I think… (i hope).

This introduction took a lot more space than what I thought so think I will publish it separately for everyones’ convenience but here’s the gist of it. I hold Fred Van Lente in extreme regard. I am jealous of him and I love his work.

Onto the actual review though for The Future is ******.