As we celebrate this President’s Day weekend in the United States.  I thought I would take a moment to highlight all of the appearances of our first President George Washington.  For those of you who want more Presidential goodness, I did the same thing last year and focused on Abraham Lincoln. 

To learn more about George Washington, the man go to the official White House page.

Otherwise, prepare to be amazed at how comic creator's have utilized this founding father over the years.

More after the jump.

Last week, we had our monthly Comics Experience book club.  This time, we did Scott Pilgrim Volume 1: Precious Little Life.  This book was quite polarizing for our little group and the debates are still continuing.

As always, the club was incredibly educational.  For example, James Babbo did a historical retrospective of music in comics.  Carl Peterson showed how the O'Malley's art art had improved from volume one to volume five. Take a look at Romona improved.

I tackled the video game references in the first volume. Here are my PowerPoint slides.

Our next meeting is in March and we will be looking at Scalped by Jason Aaron.  As a bonus, Andy has arranged for Jason Aaron to join us.  Aaron has had some pretty notable successes, including his Wolverine goes to Hell and Ultimate Captain America storylines. I look forward to hearing his perspectives on breaking into comics and the industry in general.   

There is still to time join.  Details are here.

Last night's Jeopardy! was fascinating. The IBM super computer named Watson challenged former champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter and showed that the
humans were no match Watson's artificial intelligence, which won with lead of $77,147. Jennings took a distant second place at $24,000 and Rutter was third with $21,600. Jennings wrote on his Final Jeopardy screen "I for one welcome our new computer overlords,"

And while we may fight whether this was a fair fight, (my wife questioned whether Watson had an unfair advantage because it could buzz in faster), Watson is a remarkable development in artificial intelligence. An a scary step toward robot world domination.

So, while we wait for the inevitable rematch, I present a few possible futures
involving evil Robots.

More after the Jump.

Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and inspiration for the superhero's love interest, died earlier this week at the age 93. Joanne was the original model for Lois Lane.  In the 1930s, a teenage Joanne Carter she answered an ad for a model in the Cleveland and she was hired by Joe Shuster, the artist on and co-creator of Superman, and met Jerry Siegel.  Of course, Superman would not come until until 1938 (after a string of rejections.)  and Joanne would not marry Jerry Siegel  until 1948 after they had both been through divorce.

She has also been heavily involved in litigation in an attempt to regain ownership of Superman.  For more information on the lawsuits, you can see my article in Comics Now Issue 3 and my discussions on the Comic Geek Speak podcast in Episode  .  But for now, let's just take a moment to honor the inspiration for comic's first leading lady.

Gung Hay Fat Choy means "Best wishes andCongratulations. Have a prosperous and good year."  I say it because today is Chinese New Year.  Chinese New Year marks the end of winter andthe beginning of spring.  It is a timefor family reunions, for honoring ancestors and for thanking the gods for theirblessings. Families make great preparations for this special celebration.  Before the new year, families settle debtsand buy new clothes. The house is cleaned and food is prepared.  Homes are filled with flowers and fruit.Oranges, tangerines, and pomeloes are picked and displayed . The colorssymbolize good luck and joy. Blossoms symbolize longevity and courage.  Some Chinese believe that if flowers blossomon New Year's Day good fortune will be theirs for the next year. Candy trays ofcandied melon, coconut, lotus seed  andwatermelon seed are offered. They signify growth, good health, abundance andtogetherness. Scrolls or couplets are hung on walls or doorways to carrymessages of good health, luck, long life, prosperity, and happiness.  Children behave impeccably because they arewarned that what happens the first day of the year may decide events for thecoming year.  Everyone takes care to sayand do the right things and think good thoughts.

But, here where geeks reign supreme, I thought I wouldhighlight some fun movies and TV that have to do with China.

Jackie Chan’s First Strike

Jackie Chan’s First Strike is about . .  . you know, I have to admit, that I don’treally watch Jackie Chan movies for the plot—I watch for the fight scenes.  First Strike, which features Jackie as a coptrying to break up an international spy-ring, has a great one at the ChineseNew Year’s parade.

Big Trouble in Little China

John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China came out in 1986and featured Kurt Russell as truck driver Jack Burton, who helps his friendWang Chi (Dennis Dun) rescue Wang's green-eyed girlfriend (Suzee Pai) frombandits in San Francisco's Chinatown. They go into the mysterious underworldbeneath Chinatown, where they face an ancient sorcerer named Lo Pan (JamesHong).  I should note that although thisfilm is a cult classic, it was a commercial failure, grossing only $11.1million despite its estimated $25 million budget.  The film was originally envisioned as aWestern set in the 1880s, but was changed to compete with The Golden Child withEddie Murphy.

What else is there to say other than, “When some wild-eyed,eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head upagainst the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks youif ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, andyou remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Haveya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail.”

Xena Season 3, Episodes 6  and 7: The Debt: Parts 1and 2

So it is not really China, but Xena traveled to the fictitious Eastern country of Chin in the Debt. In this two part episode, Xena is asked to come to the far kingdom ofChin to kill a person. While they're traveling, Xena tells Gabrielle a storyof her past which would explain what she is going to do.

Bruce Lee and the Chinese Gods

This is a favorite of mine from my childhood; I vividlyrecall going over to my friend Jeff Miller’s house to watch it (I wonder whereJeff is now?).  As an adult, I wanted tobuy it for my Chinese wife and it took forever to track down a copy.  This Hong Kong animation features variousfigures of Chinese mythology as they battle over a town.  Then, Bruce Lee shows up with a third eye inhis forehead that can shoot out laser death beams and becomes a purpledinosaur. Seriously!  I should also addthat no one ever explains why everyone is fighting over the town. 

I recommend this just because it is so weird in a coolway.  (I will warn that this was veryvery violent and gory). 

Disney’s Mulan

How could I not mention Mulan, who, to save her father fromdeath in the army, secretly goes in his place and becomes one of China'sgreatest heroes in the process.  This wasthe first movie done by the Orlando Animation Studio (which sadly no longer exists).  I remember seeing it develop it time I took the tour over at DisneyHollywood nee-MGM Studios.  On one tour,the animator told us about a scene where Mulan sings "Reflection" inher father's shrine and told us to look at the writing on the temple stones.  The writing was thenames of the Disney animators who worked on the film written in ancientChinese. I should also mention that although B.D. Wong (with an assist on singingfrom Donny “little bit Rock and Roll” Osmond) voices Chang in the US, he isplayed by none other than Jackie Chan in the Chinese version, which brings us full circle.  His music video is below.

And a Star Wars Bonus.

There was no equivalent to China, but there certainly have been homages (and no I don't mean the Trade Federation).  First, there are the really cool light Sabre Chop Sticks. Plus, we have Star Wars Tai Chi, which by John Francis Leo, which is described as : 42 Movement Sword Form - Featuring Darth Vader. Chi is the Chinese word meaning 'life force' - an energy created by all living beings. A Tai Chi master's strength flows from this FORCE. Known for its health benefits, Tai Chi is in fact a martial art, evolved for combat over 4,000 years. The secret is inner calm, relaxed concentration and lethal precision.  Enjoy!

There are so many to add, but that will have to wait untilnext year.

Gong Hay Fat Choy!