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UPDATE: "The Flash" Hasn't Cast Savitar, Says Berlanti
TV, Comic Books
[After three solid weeks of coverage, you'd think we here at Robot 6 would have run out of things to say about September's all-new, mostly-different DC Universe.
[Okay, maybe we have — but when fearless leader JK Parkin suggested that DC blogger Tom Bondurant and retailer/Marvel blogger Carla Hoffman could do a back-and-forth about it, we were happy to oblige. The following was conducted via email from June 17 through June 22.]
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Tom: When the relaunch became official, one of the first things it reminded me of was "Heroes Reborn." Superficially it seems pretty similar, because you have some books virtually unchanged, some big names almost starting from scratch, and the whole superhero line affected. Now, I will admit to buying every issue of the "Reborn" books when they first came out, but that was partly out of curiosity and partly because I was already reading Fantastic Four and Captain America. Afterwards, I bought all four of the post-"Heroes Return" books, again because I had been getting FF and Cap, and because I wanted to read Busiek and Perez's Avengers and Busiek and Chen's Iron Man. Today we seem to remember "Heroes Reborn" for Cap's mighty bosoms and those steampipes on Iron Man's back, but I still bought 'em. So the first question is, how much of this is "Heroes Reborn" for the whole DC superhero line, and is that necessarily a bad thing?
Carla: I was going to try and sidestep the whole SIMPSONS DID IT argument with how many Marvel revamps I've seen but…
Anything you can do…
Heroes Reborn I think is an entirely different animal than the nuDC. For one, Heroes Reborn was a Hail Mary pass to dig Marvel out of dire financial straits. If I can crib a little from AvengersAssembled!.us, Marvel was desperate to pull up out of a bankruptcy crash and just sort of handed the reigns of their most popular comics to the hot shot comic artist rock stars who wanted more money and control anyway because it was the '90s. "Here, take this! You're with it! What do the kids want?" And yes, we all read it; I actually still really like the Heroes Reborn: Iron Man storyline because it was the first time my tiny little brain could see Iron Man and the Hulk with a shared history. Yay for me!
However, DC isn't in financial ruin as far as I see, so the only reason I can think of for the re… re… re-whatever is just because they do it every so often, much to the consternation of the fans. "Post-Crisis" is an age demarcation, right? Doesn't the Silver Age turn on who the Flash is at any given time? It's just The Way of Things(tm) and it's certainly terrifying, but not necessarily a "Heroes Reborn" style attempt to show how hip we are to the kids.
Speaking of which, Heroes Reborn books look really really '90s. Everyone's hair is over-moussed, they all have tons of teeth and muscles, it's a great groan-worthy and nostalgic look back at what we all used to think was cool. Do YOU think (ha ha, tables turned Bondurant!) that people will look back at the new DC line and go "Man, remember when we thought all super-heroines should wear pants? What were we thinking!" Will Jim Lee define yet another modern era of comics?
Tom: You know, I don't have a problem with the pants edict. I think the new designs tend to be a bit busy, like the little bits of ornamentation on the Superman and Supergirl costumes or that McFarlane-Toys-esque Harley Quinn. (The new Supergirl costume is still an improvement.) If you want to bring in new readers, don't you want the characters to sport more simple, classically-influenced looks? I mean, for the most part, the Scarlet Witch has looked the same since the '60s, and the exception was that weird period in the mid-'90s when the Avengers had those dopey jackets. What's more, I only remember those costumes because they were in Mark Waid's first issue of Captain America, and I remember thinking a) yikes, what happened here? and b) I'm not sure I want to read an Avengers that looks like this. So yeah, even if Jim Lee redefines DC for the next few years, I don't think it'll last much beyond that. (Just look at the old-school Wonder Woman costume in the Justice League of Subway Football ads!)
I do think that the costumes and the new #1s are part of DC's bid for more attention. While the company's not as bad off as '90s Marvel, it is always in second place. Therefore, this to me looks like the company's big move, trying to take one giant leap forward in the existing market while establishing itself firmly in the digital realm. Unfortunately, as you just reiterated, DC has this perception of trying constantly (and, apparently, without lasting success) to reinvent itself, which really undermines this new move. On the other hand, DC is perceived as this boring old stable of characters, propped up by Batman and (for now) Green Lantern, and if it didn't do something new it'd just languish in obscurity. Joe Quesada taunted DC for not being able to sell the heck out of Superman, but from what I can tell, a good bit of fans don't want to read about Superman anyway, because they think he's dull. In that respect, the Wally West Flash and the Dick and Damien Batman and Robin really hit the sweet spot — familiar costumes and abilities, but more accessible characters (who, in both cases, were consciously aware of the A-listers they replaced).
That brings me to the next question: when the time comes to sell these 52 new issues, what will you emphasize to Metro's customers? Is it easier to sell the A-listers like the Flash, or characters like Blue Beetle who don't have so much historical baggage?
Carla: …. I really liked Scarlet Witch's '90s outfit with the Clea-influenced leggings. The belly dancing outfit from the Perez era? Now that had to go.
I'm not sure the costumes really needed that much retooling and "simplification" considering people have been using them as Halloween costumes for years. I don't think anyone was [avoiding] picking up Superman because 'Har har, he has his underwear on the outside of his clothes'. A lot of these don't look classic enough and might have been used better on BRAND NEW HEROES rather than classic heroes with the same names and possibly different histories.
Just sayin'.
I mean, look at who your examples were: Dick and Damien and Wally West. Sure, two sidekicks are there, but they are the ones taking over the legacy of their respective heroes. Take that further (dream with me Tom!) and imagine if we really did set all our classic heroes aside in DC and made Donna Troy Wonder Woman (I MEAN FOR REALS, ALLAN HEINBERG!) and Connor Kent became Superman, second bananas who finally got their shots at the big time and filled their parents' shoes. I would be interested in an all-new Batgirl more than Barbara Gordon Batgirl. This is a very dangerous leap, my friend, but with a cushion of new characters, the old standards stay safe for future publication. Otherwise, we're looking at another Red/Blue Superman.
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[Read Part 2, which includes more thoughts on new characters, whither a DCU-ified WildStorm, steering customers to the right books for them, and the one relaunched-universe-comic Tom and Carla are sure to love!]
What everyone forgets in the complaining about the relaunch is this:
Many, many DC titles were drifting aimlessly with little or no excitement. Also, there were more than half a dozen team books with second and third tier characters, while a good percentage of the A-listers were defunct, in limbo, or dead.
So I am not unhappy about DC shaking up their line and saying, whoa, let's deal with the basics. For example, make the Justice League important again. The costume changes, the personnel issues, and the question of whether the product after the shakeup is BETTER are all important but secondary. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely miss the current Superboy and Supergirl, Secret Six, Zatanna, Booster Gold, and so forth. But I've heard a lot of people complain about losing Secret Six, and the sales numbers show that it moves about 19 thousand books. I guess I'm hearing from every single Secret Six reader. Those numbers aren't very good even though the book itself is excellent.
DC can't afford to become a boutique publisher and they know it.
If DC wanted more attention, they, along with others, should have invested more time and effort into changing their comics from being a niche medium (which they have been for the last several years) back into a mass medium (as it was from the early years to the mid-1980's).
Regarding Secret Six, it's a niche title where the biggest character on the team is freakin' Catman (or I guess Bane). Is it fair to expect it to set the sales charts on fire? The fact that it holds steady and sells consistently given a roster of unknown characters is a testament to its strength, I would think. And that's more than a lot of DC's third-string titles.
Loves me some DC and they should have did this years ago.
I'm all for it.
I think your comment about dc being perceived as having a boring stable of characters is on the money and is why geoff johns and jim lee are getting slack for the DCnU because they seemed to be too reliant on nostalgia of their childhoods and not letting DCU grow and move on.
Wildstorm is over and done with. Stop beating a dead horse with Stormwatch Grifter ect.
That youtube vid was great! Those guys are amazing! Love Gypsy haha…!
New Stormwatch by Cornell is a must buy for me!! And it has the only gay males (that I know of so far) starring in a new series.
This would be a perfect time for a Catman series (or mini) by Simone!! She (and some great pencilers) have made him a favorite of mine!
Enough with the pants crap – has it even been mentioned by anyone at DC? – or is it just from the gossip queen over at his Marvel blog. Go have another look at those covers people – not every female is actually wearing pants, which kind of rules out the 'only pants rule'…..
"If you want to bring in new readers, don't you want the characters to sport more simple, classically-influenced looks?"
THANK YOU! I love Jim Lee, but the only costume changes I liked were for Batman (the modern armor look works and makes more sense) and Supergirl (I didn't mind the look before, but I like this way too). Personally, I was offended by the radical decision to take out Superman's red briefs and to replace the yellow belt with a weird red one. That's like replacing the white stars on the American flag with yellow circles, it's something that I don't think should have been messed with and doesn't make much sense (What's the belt holding up now? If it was a utility belt, it would make sense, but it's Superman not Batman.). His look was too well established outside the comics that I find it to be a bad move.
One of the reasons people follow the comic book characters (like the movies) is for their iconic style. Little changes can work for the time being (For example: Superman's mullet in the 90s), but we are seeing some pretty big changes. Not even in costumes or ages, but in origin stories and personalities. So I understand why people are debating over the reboot.
I'm in support of the reboot under one condition… They stay true to their old colors.
I didn't get into comic books until about a couple of months ago, but when I got into them, I fell in deep. The issue with DC being second to Marvel has to do with the accessibility to the stories besides just Superman and Batman. Imagine the idea of a newcomer walking into a comic book store within the last two years trying to figure out where to begin in the DCu with the budget they have? That's a pretty overwhelming task for any comic book retailer to help them with. So, I agree that the reboot was necessary to let new readers be able to find a place to join in. This is a tell of confidence on DC's behalf that the current readers will still follow as they once again tell the stories over. Most people seem to be on board to at least see how the first couple of issues turn out.
To some degree, I believe things were getting stale, but only in terms of character development. Over the last couple of years, some really awesome stories have been told by DC in the main line. The problem is that a lot of DC's best is flooded by their mediocre or cliche stories and issues. How many more times can one address Batman's sense of loss or Superman's conflict with being one of the only people of his kind left? This is where the writing should go back to where it started in how there wasn't a focus on character development or multi-part arcs spanning multiple titles.
For example, in one issue back in the pre-Crisis days, you would have Batman fight the Joker and then the next issue he was fighting the Penguin with Robin. If the writers were able to keep readers back then without having to go into multi-part story arcs, what's to really say that it couldn't work today? That's why I was happy to read the interview with I forgot who exactly yesterday that with the reboot that they are going to do what I just suggested.
Which brings me to my final point(s), I haven't heard anyone cry over the writers for each title. The choices seem to fit for who they are going to be writing for very well. At this point, you kind of have to just have faith in the writers that if they do make major changes, that they will replace something we loved or hated about this or that character with something we will love or grow to love more. For all the titles I plan on getting, I can say with certainty that I think the stories are going to be fresher and we will get that new energy that DC has needed. Now they can do a new Crisis and no one will roll their eyes…. Okay, maybe only a couple of people will roll their eyes, but less than expected.
If DC wants to get people to buy comic books then they have to convince the reading public that it's as cool to read comic books for any age as it was back in the 60's. That's just a marketing failure not so much a writing failure, but I do think this reboot is the best thing to happen for DC in quite some time. I'm not so much looking at what they currently have in store, but what they can do and what this would and will do.
I liked the belly dancing outfit…
The only people I've ever heard make fun of Superman for 'wearing his undies on the inside' are rubbish comedians who think they're the first person ever to make the observation; people who don't, and won't, read comics. So good on DC for reaching out to them.
There are good things in the relaunch solicitations, but the partially changed history is just asking for trouble. We're now in for years of existing readers wondering what's canon and what's not. And every piece of changed character history is a domino in a pile. DC should have just left everything as is, but with the new #1s all opening with primer stories – or changed the lot.
I applaud DC's daring, their embracing of the modern with digital distribution. I like the emphasis on hitting deadlines, even if it sounds as if creators weren't given enough head start. I like lots of the returned characters and it sounds as if there are interesting new folk on the way.
What I'm not so keen on is the emphasis on darkness and 'edginess' in the solicitations. Do I want a Supergirl I shouldn't piss off? I do not. We had years of confused teen Supergirl before Sterling Gates, Jamal Igle and their successors gave us a Kara to cheer for. And that new costume, with the super-panty shield, is a nightmare.
Actually, most of the costume tweaks don't look to be improvements. Did you see sleek speedster Barry Allen's new boots in this week's Converse ad? Supposedly a lot of the art we've seen isn't showing finished looks. Thank heavens for that (just be better!).
Plus, the benching of Stephanie Brown and continued loss of Wally West is a big hit to DC's character bank.
People aren't complaining about a relaunch so much as they are that it's by the same people who, with all their stunts, risks and gambles during the past ten years, couldn't gain new readership before.
If these people couldn't make their work appealing to an outside of the niche audience before, whatever deludes these people into believing they could do it now? Because what they couldn't do for one single title before, they can do for an entire line?
It's arrogance at its height: it's the company stating, 'The problem isn't with our staff, it's with our characters: because what's repelling a new audience isn't the story and art we produce, it's what our characters are wearing and what issue number the comic is.'
I, for one, am excited about the relaunch. I'm an old school Marvel guy (going back to the late 70's when I first started to learn how to read) but I'm dropping a majority of the $3.99 books that I normally get to pick up a few of the new $2.99 DC titles that I don't normally buy. I can understand if you're a long time DC collector and you're tired of Didio and company "messing up" your comics. I can understand if you're a Marvel fanboy and you love seeing DC fall all over itself to try and beat Marvel. I just don't understand why lots of people are offended by DC making this move.
carla, i disagree on one of your picks for next gen jla because connor kent isn't of the same generation as dick grayson, wally west, donna troy etc so the necessary emotional attachment wouldnt be there the same way it would be if it was tim drake, barry allen the 2nd and cassandra sandsermark.
A better choice would have been power girl or mon-el.
I don't like renumbering, and some of the costumes and creators are too 90s for me, but DC must make an attempt to appeal to a mass audience again. The past 20 years of superhero comics have been far too focused on the fanboy niche audience, and that's why outsiders don't care about them.
DC lost me a long time ago with these reboots, fake deaths, Byzantine storylines that forced one to buy dozens of titles to get the "full" accounting and characters (I'm looking at you Batman) whose histories were so convoluted that I couldn't be bothered to try and figure out where to start reading again. I mean, how about putting out collections with a number on it so I know, "Read this one first, then this one and then this one so you can catch up". I would be willing to do that but instead I look on the shelf and see "Batman: Going to Die", "Batman: Dead", "Bruce Wayne Is Out To Lunch", "Where's Bruce?", etcetera and I can't figure out which is which and which one to read first. Maybe it just doesn't matter because a new writer will change it all anyway.
Heroes reborn had little 90s style in it, unless your talking pre-nirvana.
DC not only needed to modernize their characters and reach out to a new audience, but change their style of storytelling to make the comics accessible to entry point readers. Comics are now written to produce a long lasting and selling graphic novel. Didio has not only stuck with old nostalgic characters like Freedom Fighters, or Jonah Hex, same writing team different result – but would put 70's writers on a 2011 comics. Paul Levitz makes LOSH like an 80's read, I just can't take it. WHy would he do that? He puts himself as writer on titles, – Dan, just run the company better, PLEASE. Marvel gives us recap pages, Didio says that 'readers did not need them in the 70's, why do them now?' So is the modern large story arcs the problem, or is the answer a simple re-cap page? If you don't get into THUNDER AGENTS or XOMBI at #1, you're lost and those titles are brilliant – PUT THEM ON VERTIGO, Vertigo readers EXPECT the kinds of challenges those titles give us. 'Didio has to go' – it's a bumper sticker.
DC needs a compete re-imagining, but to only put Jim Lee and one minion on redesign, – that kind of autocracy is unheard of nowadays.
Regardless, the 'nuDC' is a product of Johns, Lee, and Didio, and I don't have a single problem with Johns.
Previous poster wrote that changing the characters and not the writers is arrogance, and that rings true at first, but these writers on these characters are not slouches. NOT AT ALL. So this relaunch, reboot, modernization, whatever you want to call it, is badly needed on multiple fronts, from a character aspect, creative aspect, reader aspect, and comicbook RETAILERS aspect- who are hurting bad.
I applaud DC for a bold move. And I look forward to the 10th crappy Captain America mini or one-shot spin off this year.
If only Marvel would look at itself so closely. There's the arrogance. They actually believe that they can do what they want, and actually think their quality is better than DC.
Folks are naive to concentrate on content only. Changing distribution is going to change sales.
Moreover, distribution has an influence on content. Casual readers prefer done in ones, compressed stories. But casual readers can't get to the direct market; it's not enough of an attraction. For dedicated fans, the direct market will tend to stress longer, more continuity based stories.
That changes if you change distribution methods and get better access to distributed products.
I think an across the line reboot is the way to do a reboot. To be honest, changing superman and not changing everyone around him doesn't make sense. I dislike the idea of Jim "I will produce an issue of all star Batman (which stunk) once every 9 months and you will still love me" Lee has no business changing classic uniforms that have stood the test of time for fifty years
I don't think comic artist, character or costume changes will bring in new readers. I think accessability will. The local corner "7-11″ doesn't carry comics, at least not here.
What I would propose is that in connection with free comic book day somehow the actual readers and fans of comics unite to pass the torch to younger readers. Maybe dropping off some of your issues that you don't think you will read much anymore could be taken to a local barber shop, your dentist or doctors office. Ask them ahead of time if it would be okay to add some comics to their piles and piles of magazines for moms and dads.
I have wonderful memories of reading when I was young. I asked my dad what "League" meant on a Justice League of america cover and I remember it like it was yesterday. I am fifty. My connection with Captain Amertica kept me from running with my friends when they decided to participate in things that I knew were wrong. Eventually they robbed a convenient store. To this day I make decisions based on lessons I learned.
My love of art came from comics. To this day I am amazed by it and doodle and draw constantly..
We have to take this upon ourselves. Just like the Justice Society passed the torch to the JLA, and someday they will pass it to the Titans. We need to do what we can to give kids at least the opprotunity to try comics and decide if they like them or not.
We read books of people doing heroic things, going out of their way to make things better for someone else even if it means putting themselves into a difficult situation. The least we can do is get off our butts and talk to our local comic shop owners about getting some cheap back issues, and finding a way to pass that word around. Free comic book day is a huge day for retailers. Now as fans we need to take another step.
4 years ago DC tried to advance all the comics ahead one year, for new bold adventures, future move didn't really work, now they are gonna try moving them to the past, this won't work either.
Both Marvel and DC have both spent the last 10-15 years doing events instead of telling stories, all their comics are put in a holding pattern due to the events. DC is creating for itself on giant holding pattern with this, they will get some bump in sales for 3 to maybe 6 months but will drop back down to what they are now and probably further down, Just like heroes reborn back in the day for Marvel, the first few issues were selling great but by the end of the first years sales were lower on all the books than before the reboot.
DC is repeating what marvel did on the entire line, because the didn't learn from Marvels mistake, DC like Marvel both usually put out 3-6 really really good books each a month, a bunch of average books and mostly why did they even bother with this kinds of books. perfect examples from each companies of why did they even do is are, Hawkeye's recent Mini series and The Outsiders currently.
More doesn't mean better, streamlining down in hard times and selling more of less comics coming out makes more money than selling less of more books. I read the first issue of Lois lane and the resistance for FlashPoint, there is no reason for this book, except to take up space on the comic shelf.
DC will rue the day that they decided to really "JUMP THE SHARK" with this entire line reboot.
This very topic is why I made t shirt to express my point of view. I will be wearing it proudly at many comic conventions.
You can always judge the state of the DCU by what's happening in the Flash. Where once the universe and line were a celebration of history and legacy, now there is only stagnation and dumbed-down recycling.
I really want to read some of these new DC books. I'm a Marvel guy and have been so frustrated with what they have been doing for the past five years or so. It's really sad to see Marvel hype up Spider-man every year after they demolished the character. I read it even after that insulting couple years of broken promises (unmaskings, resurrections, new stuff, Aunt May dying, ASM #545, etc.) and it doesn't even read like Spider-man anymore. Why didn't they hire those 10 writers earlier before ruining the reputation of the book. That character doesn't seems like a new character that has little to do with Spider-man. Just wears the costumes and says dialogue. I wanted to read 'FF', but they put Spider-man in it. I want to Avengers, but those books got messed up by the whole Civil War mess. Sure it sold lots of copies, but I doubt it will make sense to have Cap and Iron man working together again. The character's personalities were changed for that story, then changed back. Or not. It seems they couldn't make up their minds at Marvel. X-Men was reduced in Mutants probably because of Civil War. Why? That's a terrible idea and it has no explantion other than a weak magical thing. I feel for the X-writers. Plus, they cancelling Uncanny.
I kind of like the red Hulk strangely enough.
I've read some DC stuff the last couple of years and they seem to put a thought into their stories. I just see this as a chance to read DC in a way I haven't been able to before. This isn't like Heroes Reborn, this is a big thing. These writers know the characters and they have all these great artists. Sure, a couple of them worked on Heroes Reborn (Lee, Booth, Liefeld). But this will be better put together for sure.
There's an underlying issue with the way both Marvel and DC do their business and it keeps coming back to haunt them: their characters can never move past a certain point in their stories. This has really come back to haunt Spiderman and Superman. The last in-continuity Superman stories people cared about were The Death of Superman and his wedding. These were storylines that moved his character forward but he's been stuck in neutral since then. Why? Because to move his story forward would mean moving it towards an ending.
The same thing has been true of Spiderman for many years. The last big storyline anyone cared about was the beginning of the Strazynski run. Peter learned more about himself, Aunt May found out who he was, he took a big leap by joining the Avengers, etc. It went off the rails in short order and the character was stuck yet again.
The answer DC and Marvel had in both of those cases was to regress the both of them back into their older forms people were more comfortable with. The problem is, we've been there before so it's just not exciting.
So here we are with the reboot. Several of these titles look interesting and I will pick them up but DC will find itself in the same boat before too long because they can't let their characters' stories progress in a natural way. If they do, it means the story will have to end.
This breaks a fundamental rule of storytelling. Before the Modern Age, it didn't matter much because readers didn't look at their stories as a long, continuing narrative. We do now and the end result is a pile up of soap opera tales that bog the characters down Just look at the two main DC titles doing well: Batman and Green Lantern. Both are the stories of their characters progressing and taking things to the next level. But how long until both get put back in their creative status quos? I mean, we can't have Bruce Wayne ending his career with his new network of operatives in place, can we?
This is partly the fault of the fans, who insist on new and exciting stories but won't accept the characters changing.
I think the reboot's a good idea but we'll see where it sits in six years. At least with their last big reboot in the eighties, Superman and Batman got a finale before it happened ("Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" and "The Dark Knight Returns").
Move the story forward, condense the past.
What Paul fails to realize here is that those "lackluster" books were kept afloat for ridiculously long periods of time by fans who continued to buy them hoping they would improve.There is no relaunching iconic characters that have outlived their useful years. Superman,and the extended family,Wonder Woman,Aquaman,and several others including Titans/Teen Titans and possibly JLA all need to go. Batman down to 2 books only and Green Lantern down to 2 books still have some time left,but overextending either character will kill their potential.Perhaps a decent take on Flash,Green Arrow,and Zatanna may be a success,but certainly not a guarantee.Other characters like Deadman,Martian Manhunter,must be somebody's idea of a joke.As good as their potential is,will Nightwing,Grifter and Voodoo make it past the 6 issue cut off? Certainly not if the landscape is littered with the dead bodies of iconics and their multiple spinoffs.
I'm still a little confused. Isn't this whole thing a reboot in name only? DC wants to bring in new readers by making its heroes' massive history a little less convoluted, but all it's doing is relaunching its titles while keeping most of the history in place. Am I right, or am I missing something? How is this anything more than a marketing ploy?
I got as far as "handed the reigns".
Kings have reigns, horses have reins.
I agree with Bullet Points that the Flash book has historically been the best way to judge the state of DC. For them to put Wally on the bench like they have just kind of shows their contempt for moving the narrative forward.We've had stories about Barry Allen in the prime of his life for almost fifty years. But hey, everyone wants more of the same, right?
And here's the thing, a reboot is always an artistic failure. In fact, I would argue that it's the biggest artistic failure that can be done in superhero comics. It's admitting that they've written themselves into a corner they don't have the imagination to get out of. Or it's saying that the creators who came before did something wrong. It's unimaginative and it's been done to death already.
But my big complaint is this. If they're gonna do reboots all the time, why don't they utilize the opportunities that the reboot creates? What I mean is, they keep doing stories with a beginning and a middle, then they reboot. If the reboot is coming anyway, why not do a beginning, a middle, AN ACTUAL ENDING, then start it over with a reboot.
Stories have beginnings, middles, and endings. If any of those three things are missing, it's not really a story. It's just part of a story. It creates an endless narrative where nothing really happens. This kind of "story telling" is why the general public has so little interest in superhero comics. It gets the reader interested and then almost purposely leaves them unsatisfied. In most stories, the ending is the most important part. Once most people figure out that the end will never come, they get bored and loose interest. At least I do.
All of Star Wars was leading to the part where Luke, Darth and the Emperor confronted each other on the second Death Star. Good Luke versus evil Emperor with Darth in the middle. It was the whole point of everything that came before it in the story. It was where everything paid off. Getting to that point and then allowing it to play out is what storytelling is all about. At DC, Luke will never confront the Emperor. We'll never know why Citizen Kane was going on about Rosebud. We'll never see Kiddo kill Bill.
Instead, it turns out that the murder of JR was just a dream, over and over again, on every single thing that ever happens. Nothing mattered and nothing ever will matter. Something happened that changes things and you want to know what happens next? Too bad, that interesting thing just got rebooted away.
Barry Allan used to be one of the lucky ones. In his story, he got powers, he used them to be a hero, he inspired others to be heroes too, then he died a noble death saving the universe. He went from a normal human CSI to the only person capable of saving all of existence. Beginning, middle and end. Barry Allan's story is told and that's an honor that most superheroes will never get. By bringing him back, they only take away from the story and the character. It's not something good writers do. People want good, complete stories, not twenty pages of pictures of the same spandex people punching each other over and over, month after month.
I've kinda made peace with DC's embarrassing mish mash of leave it alone and reboot but the Heroes reborn comparison has reopened qualms. I didn't buy one single issue of HR. Just thinking this could be anything like that makes me shudder!
I would have honestly preferred seeing a total reboot across the line or all the A listers replaced by their legacies…
I find it interesting to read all of these responses. Many are in favor of the relaunch, but concerned, understandably. Others are Marvel fans who probably have trouble reading Dc anyway, so the fact that they are looking into this is a good sign. Some are just jaded on comics in general and don't know what they want.
In the end, this is the problem. You all mention comics going boutique, but in a world where average sales of a comic book is 20,000, that IS a boutique industry. The problem is the people want these characters in more accessible formats to a wider audience, such as movies, television, games, etc. Comics are having a hard time keeping up with that. The format is just not one that beckons future success.
Expect more desperate moves like this folks. We're still an industry dependent completely on comic book stores to deliver content. That's a boutique shop approach. Barnes and Nobles has comics now, but they've just tossed them in with the magazines with little forethought. I would expect that experiment to slowly go away.
The future of comics is in differing delivery points. Hard copy comics, books, digital, movies, television, etc. As fans we need to accept these and to help them get started, or we'll see less and less of our favorite characters in the future. Asking for a Catman series is not changing an industry that is dying.
And don't get me started on Marvel's continual bashing of DC – this is a time companies should be working collectively to explore options, so that they gain more ground. Instead, we have Brevoort and others constanty picking at DC's changes. Fine, comment on them constructively, but realize that you face the same issues at Marvel.
Either work on making the situation better or start assembling your resume when the industry crashes. There's a good reason why Mike Carlin and others have moved on to animation – it's because there will be jobs in that industry in 10 years. There may not be any in comics.
I'm glad DC is making this move. I love both DC & Marvel and want them both to succeed because I grew up being a fan of both companies. Wanting any comic company to fail is just plain idiotic if your a fan of the medium.
DC & Marvel Forever.
Have to agree with the posing that talked about how Spider-Man was moving forward. I've read since ASM #1 in '62 and was enjoying the issues leading up to Civil War as much as any time in the run. I loved the move to Avengers Tower and the possible plot lines there–Wolverine on MJ, Aunt May finding a kindred spirit in Steve Rogers, the first time ever Peter Parker/Tony Start relationship and mutual admiration based on Stark's burgeoning appreciation for Peter's science potential, the beginning of the Jarvis/Aunt May relationship, so much new ground to mine and to cover and then bam! Civil War. All gone. Dozen's of wonderfully interesting potential plot threads wasted before ever reaching fruition. I remember J. Michael S. talking about how he was having fun putting 40-year-old characters together who had never interacted before and seeing where it went, as in Aunt May and Captain America. It was a golden vein in a deep and wondrous mine Marvel just boarded up and forgot about. Then Spidey making the deal with the devil, and now Marvel, who said it would never do PR-wise to have a divorced Spidey, instead feels it's okay to have a Spidey who just lived with and fornicated with MJ and now apparently is doing the same thing with the cop girl and/or the Black Cat. I'm sure parents feel so much better explaining to their kids now, as they introduce them to comics, well Peter and MJ just lived together. And everybody I talk to who's still reading Spidey says yes, great stories the past years since, but nothing–nothing that wouldn't have worked just as well or better with a married Spidey. What kind of message is Marvel sending about their feelings on marriage. Walt Disney would be outraged. Much longer and Peter will be making Tony Stark look like a piker; heck, he may be trying to outdo even James Bond! Funny that they have to go back to painting him as the lovable loser he always was (when in stasis) yet he can make time with girls like MJ and all the rest. Doesn't ring true; easier for me to believe a guy like him got bit by a spider and can climb walls that that he could be the daily-life loser he is and yet keep scoring now with all the various babes. They even have Captain America,
with his supposed 40's morals, doing it before marriage now with Sharon Carter–really, totally out of character. But they're pandering to what they think people want, or their own basement-dwelling fanboy fantasies. Peter Parker is not James Bond. Unfortunately, I won't be introducing/exposing my grandchildren to or encouraging them to purchase the kind of stuff Marvel is putting out these day, which is all the more sad because they're losing potential customers and the stories that I've either borrowed or heard about seem to be some of the best ever but–again–they would have worked even with a married Peter/MJ. Oh, but they did write themselves into a corner with the identity reveal, plain and simple, and I thought so at the time. A more real-life way to have dealt with it, instead of Mephisto/Dr. Strange/Reed Richards etc. would have been to have him have to go underground, maybe dye his hair, maybe live with MJ and May in Avengers Tower permanently until things died down. The Jameson vitriol at the identity reveal I thought was going to make for some of the most interesting Jameson stories ever–but then again bam!–snap of the fingers, deux ex machina, and the writer who wrote himself into a corner is bailed out and no ramifications for anything. When Pete in the black costume confronted the Kingpin in prison, and said if May died he'd die–I'd love to know what all those cons watching the exchange remember now. We forget that the dissolution of the Pete/MJ marriage wasn't just a crappy move on its own, but the abrupt cancellation of some of the best, most intriguing plot lines in years. Spidey had moved to the top of my list for the first time in decades and I couldn't wait to see what happened next or how he'd get out of being wanted by the law while stealing May out of the hospital–but bam!-snap. End of story. Makes the shower scene in "Dallas" seem classy by comparison. Maybe sometime a decent writer could pick up the storyline from the shooting of aunt may and carry on the story the way it should have been carried on, like Claremont tried to do with his old X-Men run. That I would definitely read. Apparently nobody at Marvel currently is clever enough to dig out of that corner.
I read both DC and Marvel and I complain about and praise both on occasion.I don't see Carla bashing here no matter what immature crap Breevoort and Quesada may spout. She isn't saying anything different than what many fans here locally are saying about DC and Marvel and many of them who also read Marvel are still going to check out DC in September. JW has brought up an interesting point that is close to a complaint I have been making for years "moved on to animation …because there will be jobs in 10 years".Maybe even digital is a dead end because instead of static pictures we could looking at an explosion of animation if DC /WB ever get their heads out of their hineys.Get off the live action nonsense because this is a drawn medium and we could have had 3-4 top notch animated films for the price of Green Lantern.The Japanese have been churning out both original and adapted animation for years.So far both printed and moving picture Manga have been doing well. The comic may be dead soon but the new animation that hopefully could be produced will keep writers,artists,and companies alive for years to come.Same favorites different media.
It outrages me that people support this kind of insult.
Lets go back to SEPTEMBER 1994. "ZERO issue MONTH" – it was the kick off of the DCU relaunch/reboot.
nearly everyone was redesigned or had origin tweaks. New titles galore. New status quo across the board. Oh an lets not forget all the various creative teams to sell these titles.
Now fast forward to lets say January 1996:
Every new title that had been introduced in 94 was Canceled.
Every costume change, origin tweak or status quo had faded away.
None of the creative teams even made it out of the first yr.
In all NOT A SINGLE THING proposed worked. The continuity tweaks just added to any confusion and were forgotten about. The good thing though was that everything went back to normal with out alienating people.
2011s half assed reboot is promoting:
1) a convoluted continuity ( because it doesnt truely start fresh but instead absorbs portions of old continuity)
2) Overly stylized costumes that are neither simplistic or Iconic. ( also contradicting their licensed counter parts)
3) An editorialy driven direction thats forced on ALL readers.
As a fan of digital pirated comics i will DL everything for FREE and watch as ZERO HOUR 2011 crashes and burns once again for DC.
omegasaga you have said it all here but try telling that to Chris N on the other page connected to this one.He actually thinks he isn't one of the "greaseballs" he made fun of.The elitism he spouts is even more counterproductive to the success of this venture.Locally I see an extended fan base inclusive of all types of people.I don't get an overall vibe from fans other than we all like comics and we all have personal tastes and opinions. Some will support this DC move and others won't.Your perspective from the 90's is appreciated.Thank You.
Every MMO company internationally has a staff member utter this one in public, because who doesn't love a public hanging? Whatever "it" is that's supposedly working, saying so on a message board is practically a guarantee that the thing in question is horribly broken, or an agility item that improves at the time you buff charisma, or not connected to a drop table despite being a boss mob. I can't possibly get a link from all bloopers this it makes me wonder been connected to in excess of the years. You're invited to list your favorites while in the comments!


text:
President Barack Obama has nominated former Mississippi governor, Ray Mabus, to be the Secretary of the Navy. The White House made the announcement in a statement Friday.
The 60-year-old Democrat campaigned extensively for Obama last year.
Mabus served in the Navy from 1970-72 as a surface warfare officer on the Newport, R.I.-based USS Little Rock.
The secretary is the civilian leader of the service and is responsible for everything from recruiting and mobilizing to overseeing the construction and repair of ships, equipment and facilities. His nomination still must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The nomination has drawn praise from Democrats and Republicans. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson says he's pleased to see a fellow Mississippi Democrat chosen for the Navy's top civilian job.
Both of Mississippi's Republican U.S. senators, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, say they'll support Mabus' confirmation.
Mabus was Mississippi governor from 1988-92 and U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994-96, appointed by President Bill Clinton.
Mabus and Thompson were Mississippi co-chairmen for Obama's presidential campaign in 2008.
As chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Thompson said he will work with Mabus "to keep our shores safe and work with our allies around the world."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Report: #1038105
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange LinkedIn Rich Rosner Facebook Scammers Steroids
Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange LinkedIn Rich Rosner Facebook Scammers Steroids5302 Riverfront Drive Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States of America
Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange LinkedIn Rich Rosner Facebook Scammers Steroids Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange Rich Rosner SCAM Pittsburgh Biggest Scam Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
*Consumer Comment: Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange is real and the comment about Rich Rosner are false!!!!!
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Fox Chapel Yacht Club - Rich Rosner Preys on young girls like me.
Finally this Scammer is getting a taste of life -
www.facebook.com/PittsburghFitnessExchange www.linkedin.com/pub/pittsburgh-fitness-exchange/45/801/8b
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/26/2013 10:16 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Pittsburgh-Fitness-Exchange-LinkedIn-Rich-Rosner-Facebook-Scammers-Steroids/Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania-15238/Pittsburgh-Fitness-Exchange-LinkedIn-Rich-Rosner-Facebook-Scammers-Steroids-Pittsburgh-F-1038105. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 Consumer Comment
Pittsburgh Fitness Exchange is real and the comment about Rich Rosner are false!!!!!
AUTHOR: Jamie - ()
SUBMITTED: Friday, April 12, 2013POSTED: Friday, April 12, 2013
The writer of the complaints is a guy acting like a girl, due to him being jealous of rich having success in life.
Rich we all know you(stay the way you are)........and for the guy who wrote this look in the mirror, your the one who is of disgust.
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text:
Outline of Scheme
The China Scholarship Council and Monash University have established a collaborative scholarship program to attract high quality Chinese students to undertake PhD. Long-term research co-operation between Monash University and research-intensive Chinese universities is a further aim of the program.
A number of candidates each year will be awarded scholarships that cover tuition fees and provide a living allowance for up to three years in the first instance. Scholarship allowances also meet overseas student health cover (OSHC), visa application fees and the cost of a return international air fare between Australia and China.
Applications are now invited from eligible applicants.
Areas of Research
Currently, the priority areas for these scholarships are:
- Agriculture and food security,
- Energy and environment,
- Life sciences and public health(especially emerging infectious diseases) including biotechnology,
- Governance and public policy reform,
- Communication and information technology,
- Economics and business,
- Engineering and architecture including urban planning,
- Applied social sciences including law and WTO-related areas
- Fundamental studies in science and technology, health sciences, the humanities and the arts.
These will be subject to annual review.
The information provided on this page is correct as at 01/06/2016, and may be revised once the outcomes of the Australian Government's Review of Research Policy and Funding Arrangements are known.


text:
- Report: #489451
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Financial Crime division
Financial Crime divisionstreet Jacksonville, Florida United States of America
Financial Crime division I have been receiving harrassing calls from a John parker at 9042393959 stating i owed $678 he will not tell me what i owed the $ for.he just want to let me know he will send someone to come arrest me I dont have any info about this company except that i am getting harrassing phone calls. This Person John Parker Just got me fired from my job today that I've been in for 8years. Jacksonville, Florida
* : It's a scam.
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/03/2009 11:27 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Financial-Crime-division/Jacksonville-Florida-/Financial-Crime-division-I-have-been-receiving-harrassing-calls-from-a-John-parker-at-9042-489451. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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It's a scam.
AUTHOR: Andromeda - (USA)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, September 03, 2009POSTED: Thursday, September 03, 2009
Type the phone number into google, 904-239-3959, and you will get websites like 800notes, and whocallsme? Other people are getting the same threatening phone calls from that number. In most cases there isn't a legitimate debt and they use tactics that are against the law to try to get money from people. They claim they are from the fbi, and the police when they aren't. They threaten you with court and incarceration. They will say anything to scare you into sending them money. The companies they call from are not real companies. These people are like any typical scammers. That is why they violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by making false claims, harassing people, and making threats. That is also why they won't send you any information about the so-called debt you owe.
Maybe if you show your boss this is a scam you can get your job back. This isn't your fault. You should go to the fbi website and file a complaint against John Parker, though it is pobably not his real name, and the phone number is from a prepaid cell.
I'm sorry this happened to you, and I hope you can get your job back.
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text:
- Report: #1141807
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Complaint Review: leader express
leader express701 north central wood dale, Illinois USA
leader express Criss con dotting and his sister Brooke hudson leader express is now bring run as triad trucking in 2195 Arthur elk Grove village il Chris condotti is still running the company even though it's under his sisters name he is trying to hide from everyone he owns money too wood dale Illinois
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I was the lead mechanic for leader express in wood Dale il.chris walked away and changed the name of the company to triad trucking which is now based at 2195 Arthur elk Grove village.it is still run by Chris but in his sisters name he lies to everyone he lies business with he sells people's freight to make himself extra money.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 04/25/2014 05:47 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/leader-express/wood-dale-Illinois/leader-express-Criss-con-dotting-and-his-sister-Brooke-hudson-leader-express-is-now-bring-1141807. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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General Information
What are the hours of the education sessions and the trade expo?
The education session* hours are:
- Tuesday, December 8th from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
- Wednesday, December 9th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Thursday, December 10th from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
*Designation courses begin on Monday, December 7th, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
The Trade Expo hours are:
- Tuesday, December 8th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Wednesday, December 9th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
How many people attend the convention?
Over 8,000 attendees are expected at Triple Play 2015.
What is the dress code at the convention?
A business casual dress code is suggested for all of the education sessions, trade expo and special events. This year's NJ REALTORS® President's Gala is also casual dress.
What is included with the registration fee?
The registration fee entitles you to attend any of the education sessions (excluding the designation courses, Commercial Investment Marketing Session, Effective Counseling & Representation of Real Estate Clients course, Professional Standards Administrators' Training, USPAP Update and Registration PLUS+ sessions), CE credit where applicable, the YPN Reception, the Icebreaker Reception at Caesars Atlantic City, entrance to the Trade Expo, and shuttle service from the official headquarters hotels to and from the Convention Center during Trade Show hours. (NYSAR member registration also includes NYSAR Member Reception; PAR member registration also includes PAR Reception.)
What is not included with the registration fee?
Designation courses, Commercial Investment Marketing Session, Effective Counseling & Representation of Real Estate Clients course, Professional Standards Administrators' Training, USPAP Update and Registration PLUS+ sessions, NJ REALTORS® President's Gala tickets, RPAC High Roller's Lounge entrance, hotel accommodations, transportation and meals are not included in the registration fee.
What is Registration PLUS?
Pre-registration is required and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. No walk-ins will be accepted. Late arrivals are not eligible for CE credit.
For an extra $39 (thru October 15), this CE package includes:
- Guaranteed seat in six, specific CE sessions
- Up to 18 hours of NJ, NY, PA CE credit
- Name badge identifier for easy access
- Nearby lounge and café where you may purchase hot and cold beverages, breakfast breads, fruit, snacks and lunch
After October 15th, any remaining tickets will be available for $59 until sold out.
Click here for more information and to see the included sessions.
What if I want to cancel my registration?
Requests for cancellation of any type must be received in writing no later than NOVEMBER 15, 2015 and are subject to refund processing fees.
- $25 – convention registration
- $25 – designation/certification course
- $25 – NJ REALTORS® President's Gala
Refunds will not be given after November 15, 2015. Mail refund request to: Triple Play, c/o Experient (NJR091), 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 310, MD 21703 or Email: email@example.com
I am a REALTOR(R) member from another state (not NJ, NY or PA). How do I register?
Members of the National Association of REALTORS® from other states may attend the Triple Play 2015 REALTOR® Convention at the same member registration fee as tri-state members. Please use your NRDS# to log-in to online registration or you may print a copy of the registration form and mail or fax it.
Can I register on-site at the Atlantic City Convention Center?
Yes, you can register in the Convention Registration Area, Level 2 of the Convention Center during the following hours:
- Monday, December 7th – 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm
- Tuesday, December 8th- 7:30 am to 6:00 pm
- Wednesday, December 9th – 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
- Thursday, December 10th – 7:30 am to 10:30 am
Triple Play 2015 offers CE for New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania real estate agents and appraisers.
Which designation courses are being offered this year?
- $150 – CCIM: Residential Real Estate Financial Analysis, Monday, December 7
- $150 – RSPS: Vacation, Investment, Luxury Properties, Monday, December 7
- $150 – MRP: Military Relocation Professional Certification, Monday, December 7
- $295 – CRS200: Business Planning & Marketing for the Residential Specialist, Monday, December 7 & Tuesday, December 8 (two-day course)
- $295 – CRB: Certified Real Estate Team Specialist (CRETS): Understanding & Leveraging Teams, Monday, December 7 & Tuesday, December 8 (two -day course)
(pre-registration is required)
By attending one of the designation courses, do I receive that designation?
No, completing a one or two-day designation course at Triple Play does not entitle the attendee to that designation – there are many requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to receive the specific designations. Please visit the website of the specific designation to see all the requirements necessary to obtain it.
Do I need to register for continuing education credit?
No, you do not need to register for CE sessions. In order to receive CE credit, you will need to provide your appraisal or real estate license number. Your registration fee is inclusive of CE and we only require your license number(s) to ensure you receive credit where applicable. Attendees need to provide the license number(s) for each state/license that they want credit for.
You may guarantee seating by registering for Registration PLUS (subject to availablity, additional fee applies). All designation courses and Registration PLUS require pre-registration.
IMPORTANT!! Pennsylvania licensees initially licensed on or after December 1, 2014 are required to take specific, mandatory courses which are NOT available at Triple Play 2015.
CE registrants must attend the entire session in order to earn credit for the session. To assure proper credit for any Real Estate or Appraisal CE courses you are taking, you MUST scan your convention badge whenever you ENTER and EXIT the room. If your badge will not scan, please fill out the sign in sheet available at door and your sign in/out time will be recorded for you.
Special Events
What is the Icebreaker Reception?
The Icebreaker Reception is your chance to meet and mingle with fellow attendees on the opening night of the convention. The celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th from 9:00 pm – 12:00 am at Caesars Atlantic City. Your convention badge is your ticket to music, dancing, hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, soft drinks, cash bar and plenty of networking opportunities.
What is the YPN Reception?
Please join the Young Professionals Network on Monday, December 7th as we kick-off Triple Play 2015! All REALTORS® are welcome and encouraged to attend. Mix and mingle with real estate pros from NY, NJ and PA. Catch up with old friends, make new contacts, and meet your online connections IRL.
Is my state association sponsoring a member reception?
New Jersey members: Installation of NJ REALTORS® 2016 President TG Glazer and the 2016 Leadership Team will take place in conjunction with the NJ Awards Session, Tuesday, December 8th, 2:00-4:00pm at the Atlantic City Convention Center – Room 312. Gala Reception will be held on Tuesday, December 8th from 7:00-9:00pm at the Hard Rock Café, Trump Taj Mahal Casino. Tickets for the Gala are $65 each.
New York members: A NYSAR Reception is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel , Crown Ballroom. Gather with your fellow NYSAR members while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and a complimentary cocktail.
Pennsylvania members: A PAR Reception is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th from 4:30 – 6:00 pm at the Atlantic City Convention Center – Room 201/202. Members are invited to meet for a reception on the opening day of the convention featuring hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.
What is the RPAC High Rollers' Suite?
The RPAC Suite will be open on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at the Atlantic City Convention Center, Room 308-309.
Relax and recharge at Triple Play while supporting the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC). Your $250 investment provides access to chair massages, shoe shine service, manicures, gaming lessons, snacks and beverages, a head shot photographer and more.
Contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and used for political purposes. The amount suggested is merely a guideline and you may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal and the National Association of REALTORS® or any of its state associations or local boards will not favor or disfavor any member because of the amount contributed. 70 percent of each contribution is used by the State PAC to support state and local political candidates. Until your state reaches its RPAC goal, 30 percent is sent to National RPAC to support Federal candidates and is charged against you limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a; after the state reaches its RPAC goal, it may elect to retain your entire contribution for use in supporting state and local candidates.
Hotel Reservations
Does convention registration include hotel reservations?
Convention registration does not include hotel reservations. You must be registered for the convention to secure REALTOR® discount reservations at the official convention hotels. All hotel reservations will be processed by AmeriRoom Reservations, the official convention housing bureau. Please note: Complimentary shuttle service runs between the Atlantic City Convention Center and OFFICIAL CONVENTION HOTELS ONLY.
How do I make hotel reservations?
After registering for the convention, call AmeriRoom Reservations, our official housing bureau, at 1–800-888-5825, to reserve your room. You must first have registered for the convention and received your convention registration confirmation PIN# in order to secure hotel reservations.
How do I make changes to or cancel my hotel reservation?
Please call AmeriRoom Reservations, our official housing bureau, at 1-800-888-5825, to make changes to or cancel your reservation. Please note that fees apply for cancellations and name changes.
What is the deadline date for making hotel reservations?
All room reservations are taken on a first come, first served basis. AmeriRoom Reservations will be able to assist you with your accommodations need right up until December 7th, the first day of the convention.
Is shuttle bus service included with my hotel reservations?
Yes, if you book your hotel room through AmeriRoom Reservations, our official housing bureau, shuttle service to and from your hotel to the Atlantic City Convention Center is included. If you reserve your room on your own, no shuttle bus service is included with your reservation.
Lost & Found
Where is your lost & found?
Items are turned in to the Lost & Found box in the Triple Play headquarters office. Please contact email@example.com to inquire if your missing item was turned in. You may also contact the Atlantic City Convention Center at 609-449-2000 to inquire about lost items.


text:
Interview with Silvana Lombardini on Spanish Voice Overs
By Stephanie Ciccarelli
February 9, 2009
Do you know about the great opportunities that are out there for Spanish voice over talent?
The Hispanic market is booming in the US and the demand for voice overs in Spanish and bilingual voice overs has increased exponentially from even just decades ago.
Silvana Lombardini, Spanish voice over coach, says the future looks bright for Spanish voice actors, their families and the bilingual voices of the future... the time to talk about this is now.
VOX: Thank you for joining us here on VOX Daily, Silvana! From what I hear, you're very passionate about bringing awareness to Spanish voice overs in North America and sharing experiences with all the voice over community. How much would you say that the demand for Spanish voice over has grown in recent years in the US and Canada?
SILVANA LOMBARDINI: Hi everybody and thank you Stephanie for this opportunity to share my experiences with the voice over community. I must say that I'm surprised about the Spanish voice over demand in the US and Canada of the last years.
Latin talents are flourishing all over the world, not only in the voice over market but in all artistic expressions. I believe one of the strongest reasons is that now the children born in families of both North American and Latin American origins are growing up to have a
very nice mixture of cultures and backgrounds so they want and need to bring Spanish language to the same level where English is. Within this group there are also producers and creatives, directors, writers and the audience itself, so the whole market is in the process of needing more Spanish voices.
VOX: How much Spanish voice over work is out there?
SILVANA: I discovered a great demand for Spanish voice over work, which is
done online, for English speaking countries, mostly for the USA, United Kingdom and Canada. Getting jobs online is great for Spanish voices that sometimes don't have many opportunities for voice over work in their own countries.
VOX: Taking a step away from the English market, what's it like in the Spanish
speaking voice over world? Can you share a bit about what goes on and how large that market is?
SILVANA: Now there's a lot of work to do in Argentina, where the market has
evolved in the last years with local productions for both National and International Documentaries and Reality Shows, that demand local voice overs who need to have residence here, because the market is not ready for working online, yet. Many voice actors are taking lessons in Neutral Spanish as to expand their possibilities. At first the voice talents were not actors but for the last three or four years producers started choosing actors instead of voice over professionals so talents had to start training.
The market is large but frequently you have one voice recording a spot in Argentina that airs in three or four countries. We can discuss if this is fair but in fact this is how it works today. The podcast and phone cells contents, in which audio is relevant as well as images are on TV, give more opportunities to voice actors and this is growing very fast.
Mexico and Argentina are the two countries that make the biggest artistic productions, for both the international and domestic markets, with a huge level of consumption.
VOX: If you could estimate, how many dialects of Spanish are there that are
spoken in North, Central and South America, and which of those dialects are most in demand?
SILVANA: I'm sure that there are many more Spanish dialects or accents than
the number of countries in North, Central and South America. Indeed, there are lots of accents in the same country with a slight difference in their musicality or intonation, so it's very difficult to reduce them to a definite number.
That's why Neutral Spanish from Latin America was created; it aims to merge all the Spanish dialects into a single one and is based on a kind of formal Mexican Spanish. Nowadays international producers are asking for Argentinean Spanish. So I can assure that the most demanded accents are Spanish Argentinean and Neutral Spanish.
VOX: You offer voice over coaching services for Spanish speaking talent. Could
you tell me a little bit about how you teach and what your specialties are?
SILVANA: I have created my own system because I teach not only what I have
learned long ago but also what I felt and experienced in my career over the years. As each person is unique, I customize the lessons according to what I hear and see in the first interview.
I specialize in detecting what each talent needs and I work in helping them to achieve their best performance. I know about the fears and doubts a student may have, so my goal is to help them realize and understand what their strengths and challenges are so that they can start working from there on, not allowing their insecurities to stop them from growing or even setting them back.
I train my students with everyday situations, with exercises we can find in any magazine, reading any book or newspaper and I pay special attention to songs because there you can find not only the correct pronunciation but also the popular expressions and - the most important - it is a great way to become fluent when speaking Spanish because the rhythm makes you surf with words over the music.
The training has easy and funny exercises - reading, listening, describing as well as writing - in order to expand the vocabulary by using imagination and every day situations. I never forget that a professional voice needs first to learn about vocal cords, relaxation,
breathing, volume training, diction and comprehension. They'll learn the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing for daily life, how to look after the voice in order to avoid fatigue, prevent injuries and improve productivity, and also to practice expressing themselves in an articulate manner with correct positioning of the voice.
I am very passionate about voice over coaching and my goal is giving my students all the tools they can keep forever and use them at any circumstance.
VOX: Are you able to help Spanish talent who have regional accents adopt a more cosmopolitan accent, and if so, which accent(s) preferred?
SILVANA: I have experience in training Spanish talents to adopt cosmopolitan
accents. A professional Spanish talent nowadays must learn to speak Spanish Argentinean and the Latin American Neutral to be competitive. As said above, these are the accents on demand and I'm sure this will last for a long time.
The cosmopolitan Spanish accent its easier to adopt if you learn it in a global way, not only trying to catch the correct pronunciation but to understand Spanish identity through their music and popular artistic expressions. That will make someone be fluent and quicker to think in a cosmopolitan Spanish way.
VOX: While we're on the subject, how hard is it for a native speaker of Spanish to
neutralize their accent when speaking in English? It must be difficult to adapt, especially if a person is a native speaker of Castilian Spanish. Any thoughts on this?
SILVANA: Well, this is very interesting. I've noticed that native Spanish speakers have more difficulties with pronunciation when they learn English in their adult life and I experienced that the best way to learn and adopt the correct pronunciation and English ways is when you are young, preferably at school or somewhere else, with intensive training and by listening teachers speak in English. However, training always pays off, so adopting an accurate accent is possible with the correct exercises for each kind of difficulty you may encounter. This will improve - as well as in Spanish - if you "rehearse" listening to music and watching films in English.
VOX: How do you perceive the English voice over market? How hard is it for a
Spanish voice to break through?
SILVANA: I celebrate the Internet as an international connection because this
allows Spanish voices to introduce themselves in the English voice over market but so far this is only possible if they can communicate fluently in English. Nowadays being bilingual is mandatory, talents must be bilingual to be competitive in the International Voice Over
Market. We face a Very Big Black Hole.
VOX: There are many people in the market who say that they can speak Spanish
who are not native speakers. How would a customer be able to tell the difference?
SILVANA: I think the difference is notorious for a native Spanish speaker but
may not be for a customer that doesn't know the language very well and yet needs a Spanish voice. In such case it's necessary to have a Spanish consultant that can detect if the pronunciation is correct and accurate. I've noticed that some big companies have their own Spanish Linguistic Committee, which subjects recordings to listening and revisions before airing them. They have tested me in several opportunities and I think this is a great process for them to assure the quality.
VOX: Lastly, I was wondering if there are any associations or groups that Spanish voice over talent can join to keep connected and informed. Are you part of any organizations or unions that serve Spanish talent in particular that you could refer?
SILVANA In Argentina there's a voice over professionals association but it is not
so helpful when it comes to finding jobs or connecting voices with producers. So each voice has to distribute demos anywhere possible (studios, production companies, or elsewhere even remotely related to the market) in the hopes of being "discovered" and eventually hired, if producers remember they have the demo when the opportunity
Becoming a voice over certified professional is very difficult and hard to achieve in Argentina, but then I feel professionals have an even harder time looking for a job in the marketplace.
The other fact is that there's a law in Argentina that says a voice over professional must be certified to name the brands so not all the voices are allowed to work for this market. This reduces the local possibilities.
So the Argentinean market is very competitive and in addition the voices that work are - in general - the ones producers and marketing executives already know so this derives in fewer opportunities because only a small group is able to work. Typically you can hear a TV producer say "I needed a new voice for a TV show and I didn't know where to find it so I hired the one I already knew!" while out there lots of talents are waiting for a chance.
It is also true that not every voice is talented but there are many voices with expertise. This is the biggest challenge for Spanish voices in their own market. Only a few voices do most of the work, and the media ends up with a narrow range of talents.
This is one of the strongest reasons why I think it is necessary to create a Spanish site to allow voices to audition for different countries.
VOX: Is there anything I left out that you'd like to share with our audience?
SILVANA: Your questions inspired me to think about the Spanish talents' real
challenges more in depth. I think our community is in need of a Spanish Voice Over site, in our own language, and in this way making it available for all the Spanish speaking actors in the whole market.
I would be thrilled to be part of a site like this, where Spanish talents from all over the world could be connected, sharing experiences and learning more in their own language for equal opportunities and much more voices for the producers to contact, hiring who best fits for each piece.
It will also be a great experience for the local voice over talents to get used to auditioning together with different voices.
The market is in constant expansion and the best we can do is to share the knowledge and help professionals to develop their careers not only in their local markets. I hope I can help with this mission because I really think in this way everybody wins.
Any Comments?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Silvana and Stephanie
©iStockphoto.com/Trevor FisherRelated Topics: Accent, child, hired, Hispanic, how to, Silvana Lombardini, Spanish, TV, union, US, voice acting, voice overs, voice talent, Voices.com
- Nickie Jurado
- February 10, 2009 1:44 PM
- Stephanie Ciccarelli
- February 10, 2009 2:49 PM
- Alfonso Diaz
- February 12, 2009 9:07 AM
- Stephanie Ciccarelli
- February 12, 2009 9:15 AM
- Fernando Viera
- March 19, 2010 11:24 AM
- melvin hernandez.
- July 19, 2012 12:43 PM
- Omar
- March 5, 2014 2:30 AM
Gracias so much for bringing the opportunities, challenges, and future of Spanish-language voice overs to the forefront of our collective experience!! As a bilingual Latina doing both on-camera commercial & voice over work, I'm getting more and more demand for "bilingual yet accent-free" performances. I could not agree more with the need for a bilingual site and would love to volunteer in any way I can to help make that happen - it is vital and necessary. Moreover, we should challenge our community to find ways to mentor the next generation of Spanish/English bilingual VO artists. Gracias again, I'm inspired!!Posted by:
Hi Nickie,
Thank you for commenting and sharing your thoughts :) You bring up some very interesting points that are worth pursuing.
If you'd like to email me privately, contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com and we can start bouncing some ideas off each other and involve those who'd like to be part of this on a grand scale or contribute to mentoring.
Best wishes,
StephaniePosted by:
I am trying to start a career in Voice Over. I am from Colombia, and have done radio and a little bit of tv for my Country. Would you please let me know how I can start here in USA (I am a resident now).
Hi Alfonso,
Welcome to the conversation and to the voice over community!
You can get started by taking a spin around our resources such as the Voice Over Experts podcast and downloading some getting started materials in the Voices.com Help section.
When you get your business all planned out, it would be a good idea to register your business officially before you start promoting your voice and getting work.
Here's a link to the podcast series for professional development that I mentioned earlier:
Best wishes,
Stephanie Ciccarelli
Co-founder of Voices.com
This blog has been helpful. I did some Spanish VO work in the 80's and 90's. I am now thinking of getting back into the craft and looking for a good coach. Not much in Spanish coaching here in Ohio.
I am bilingual native level English and Spanish with neutral and Argentina accent.
Thank again for the information
Hello. Im a Puerto Rican born in New Jersey. I've had the pleasure of having my schooling in both places, allowing me the blessing of a very fluent tonque. I've also been complimented on my deep voice. My fears come in the lines of the "jersey accent". Please Help!!!Posted by:
Hello Stephanie.
I am Colombian/ Argentine living in Chicago and understand that there is a growing market for bi-lingual VO actors.
I just got out of a two year role in communications and have also taken a voice over class.
I have experience in acting, public speaking, as well as radio announcements and was wondering if you can recommend any studios who offer good instruction and coaching in Chicago.
Please let me know and thanks!
-OmarPosted by:


text:
Skip to comments.Decorated Police Dog Euthanized
Posted on 01/06/2012 5:43:12 PM PST by chrisinoc
DODGEVILLE (WKOW) -- A decorated police dog that helped officers seize more than $700,000 worth of marijuana one year ago in Iowa County was euthanized, even though the animal had no health issues.
Iowa County Sheriff Steve Michek told 27 News the department's Belgian Malinois named Ava was put down because the animal had become unreliable, especially around the public.
(Excerpt) Read more at wkow.com ...
Working dogs can be dangerous and they cant always be socialized for a non-work environment.
A dog that "becomes" aggressive and unreliable does so for a reason. It just doesn't happen without a cause. Given the information in the article, it sounds like someone other than the handler was either abusing the dog or causing the dog distress.
Sad that a beautiful dog like that was killed. I'd love to find the person that caused the problem with that dog and give him a taste of karma.
I don't believe in karma as I am a Christian. Dogs can justly be killed by man when they have outlived their usefulness. They are only animals. Only torture of animals is sinful according to the bible. Killing them is OK.
I've got a 9 year old rottie who is in great health, but definitely 'losing it' in the mind. Good thing he is very gentle by nature (at 130+lbs), but I'm afraid I might have to put him down even though his body is in pretty good shape..... :-(
I know several in law enforcement that take these animals and give them a good home, however, the dogs are special and do not socialize, they are not really trained as friend. Pet owners that take them are special.
I know several in law enforcement that take these animals and give them a good home, however, the dogs are special and do not socialize, they are not really trained as friend. Pet owners that take them are special.
Of course there is a reason. But that reason isn't always "abuse". That has become the mantra these days, to always blame the human, but it's wrong.
Many dogs turn. Some possibly because of tumors (don't know if they checked for that), but either way, they can become dangers all on their own. Some can be genetically inclined for this. Not shocking in a (working) Mal.
My a dep sheriff took in his after he was retired. He said some of the drug ones will sometimes form a dependence if the find a large stash and manage to get into it. Worse with coke then other stuff I guess because the dust is more transportable in the air.
My a dep sheriff took in his after he was retired. He said some of the drug ones will sometimes form a dependence if the find a large stash and manage to get into it. Worse with coke then other stuff I guess because the dust is more transportable in the air.
Ever watch the Dog Whisperer? That man can work magic with dogs.
You might want to do a little research on that guy.. the "magic" you don't hear about is usually abuse. Massive abuse. Pretty sad that he has his own show.
He is awesome!
And as a Pit Bull owner, I so appreciate his cheer-leading for the breed.
That's my theory. The dog became addicted.
Sniffing dope all the time cannot be a good thing.
What do they use to teach them to sniff dope?
Sad Sad day.
Get his thyroid checked ~first~ [T4 and Free T4] and then have a full tick panel run on him.
My understanding was always watered down dope but i never asked
watch it all the time, takes time and money, something the dept obviously didn't want to spend.
teach a dog to be anti-social for years and its not going to be a good family dog overnight.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Where did you hear or read that Cesar Milan abuses animals? I have never heard any rumors about it. He seems to truly love animals. If he is doing that I would like to know about it.
That was exactly what I was thinking. My first show golden became very dog aggressive and finally I had the sense to have her thyroid checked. It was low, put her on thyroid and within a few weeks she was perfectly normal again (sweet temperament). And sadly (and I think connected) she died a number of years later of what we think was ehrlichiosis. Back then it wasn't well known that they could carry it for years, Even now most vets apparently don't know to check.
I can't speak for all of the departments, but when I taught health in TX I used to have some of the narcotics officers bring their dogs into the classroom and demo for the kids (always a big hit). The dogs were fine with the kids, well trained and friendly. They were not trained to attack, they simply were trained to sniff out drugs.
Yes - but one shouldn't use scandalous Hindu terms that are tied to false gods.
It's just their way of describing the universal undeniable truth of the almighty.
Before you throw stones at the scandalous pagans, you should look at yourself first.
Did you celebrate Nimrods birthday? Did you? Did you even know it?
we had a very large rottie/pit mix that developed grand mal seizures unknown etiology at age 7,and 2 times coming out of a seizure he didn't recognise his family and was very aggressive- growling and circling for a few minutes and our other dog was some form of long haired black belgian (can't remember the correct name) got protective and there was the possibility of a disaster—now the belgian was also with a temperment problem outside of immediate family,had a "justifiable bite" on the record and unfortunately had to be euthanized due to liver failure,(we don't know how he got this either) and the mixed breed continued to have his seizures despite many drugs and blood works and maintaining serum levels but was also getting domineering at times and out of place thinking he was the boss.
He had to be euthanised at age 11 due to going in and out of seizures nonstop one night/into the morning.
Let me tell you I was always thinking of what would happen if that dog "lost it" as whatever genetics he was,the muscle tone, energy, strength,teeth and fur were like that of a 2 year old.
both guys were picked up from the street literally at about 5-6 months of age a couple of weeks apart and no one was searching for them.
guess they found us.
I completely disagree. I have less compassion for people than I do dogs. Dogs know something humans have forgotten. Unconditional love. You may think they are only animals and that's your choice, but I will intervene on behalf of a dog before I'll intervene on behalf of any adult person. I know dogs very, very well. They are smarter than most people believe and they are rational creatures.
Who is Nimrod?
Don't deny the Hindu ties to the word karma. If you deny it one more time I plan to end the conversation.
I have been around and raised dogs, specifically big dogs for about 30 years. Every time I've seen a dog turn, that's every time with one exception, it was because of the handler/owner. The only exception to that was a dog that had a brain tumor and became very violent.
I've brought more than one dog back from abusive situations and it's not difficult to do if you just have the patience and LISTEN to what the dog is trying to tell you.
I'm sorry but anyone that puts down a healthy dog needs an @ss whipping bad.
"it was because of the handler/owner."
And sometimes that's because of wimpy submissiveness by the owners. Unless you want to call that abuse. Which actually, I do. It certainly is neglect and denial of what the dog actually needs.
It's nonsense. The guy dares to touch animals. That is "abuse" to these ninnies.
PETA-type ninnies don't want you to even LOOK at your dog the wrong way.
This is what we get when we dumb down "training" to kootchie-koo fatten-'im-up-with-treats. Stern voices, a poke here and there, a pop of the (gasp) choke collar - all "abuse" now thanks to Spock-esque dog training fashions.
Now THAT is an interesting idea.
This happened to my beagle a few years ago. The vet told me that she was suffering a neurological disorder that was basically canine alzheimers.
I learned to encourage and guide my dogs to jobs that they discover for themselves. I guide them to positive constructive jobs vs. destructive. My dogs don't get crated, they are part of the family and they know it. We took in a dog that was slated to be destroyed because of the stupidity of the owner. He's still learning social behavior but he's not violent only doesn't understand some things. He's now a very protective and loving dog. Because of what happened to him, it took us a while to get him to interact with our other dogs. Now, he's a strong pack member and he's very happy here. Every night, I take him out in the back yard and let him chase the laser around. He loves it and looks forward to it every night.
Here's a few pics of our dogs...
First is Max with our daughter. He's the nicest dog in the world but if he thinks you're going to hurt her, he'll bring the pain in a hard way. He loves my daughter more than anything in the world. You can kinda tell in the pic...
Next is our three dogs together getting a treat...
Sasha, the mutt.
And the rescue dog I mentioned at the top of my post... Ika.
"Its nonsense. The guy dares to touch animals. That is abuse to these ninnies"
Glad to hear it. We have always loved Cesar and we use his methods on our pooches.
Ehrlichiosis [and Lyme and every other TBD] can "go dormant" and "hide" in places like bone marrow or the spleen for *years*.
Something stressful....*or* nothing at all, can kick it into active gear and lay out a dog really quick.
One of my Ibizans came here with it as a pup and we never knew until he was 4, his symptoms flaring up right after the matriarch of the pack passed away.
[the local vets had just gotten the life saving SNAP tests]
Heavy, long term medication kicked it into remission and he lived another 10 years, eventually suddenly succumbing to Lyme mediated kidney failure.
My beloved Odin was born with Lyme but was diagnosed at 5 months and 3 months of Doxy wiped it out to the point where his titers are <9, which is considered "clinically insignificant" and as close to "cured" as can be.
Like many Dobes, he's also hypothyroidal.
He got snotty with the other dogs, growled at me a couple of times and next thing he knew, the "vampires" were drawing his blood to be over-nighted to Dr Jean Dodds.
Tragically, two of his brothers from a previous, identical breeding were put down before they were even 2 years old for "extreme aggression attributed to brain tumors".
[I kid you not]
I'd bet everything I have that their thyroids were blown out, too.
His is not genetic, not auto-immune; it's "familial" meaning the bitch was hypo while pregnant and every one of her pups were when they were born.
I know of one of his litter mates who was returned to the breeder "broken" because his owner decided to "beat the aggression out of him".
[the breeder is total idiot and is still breeding those hypo bitches every year, even though her "heart dog" _dropped dead suddenly_ last summer. that dog was a textbook picture of low thyroid and she disregarded my pleas to get the dog checked]
Odin is constantly monitored, frequently re-tested and meds adjusted and he's great, now.
I'm sorry about your girl.
I lost my beloved Minny a year before TBDs were even a topic of potential diagnosis for local vets.
The boy who lived to 14 had the same, identical symptoms and cheap pills extended his life dramatically.
She never got that chance and no vet would listen to me.
Do you celebrate Easter? It's named for the goddess Oestre. Thats a pagan name for the most significant holiday in the Christian calendar. It's not the name we use that matters; "a rose by any other name" etc.
You tube has video out takes of how he actually trains. It is not good. He kicks dogs on the side/underside where the area where the hip and stomach meet. I've seen it. Yes, I've know some dogs require physical correction. But to leave these clips out of his show is extremely misleading and wrong.
I think he's a fraud. Just my opinion, though.
That would be a Belgian Groenendael, or Sheepdog as they're called in the States. I currently have two and have owned a total of three in my life. Wonderful dogs. Very smart, and extremely loyal and protective. They are dogs who need mental stimulation, physical work and a strong owner who can work with willful dogs.
Mine are just a joy, love people and most other dogs. But if you even think of harming me, they know it. And will protect. I witnessed it first hand, and it was quite a shock. But was very glad to see it.
In a multi-dog home, it can be difficult to tell the difference between dog aggression and resource guarding. Dogs will resource guard the things that are most valuable to them. It can be a toy, a bed, or even a person. My boy resources guards me, meaning, if I am petting him, he will growl and not let other dogs near me. Of course, I know this, and manage the behavior with positive reinforcement. And he's doing great. My girl will resource me if we sit on the sofa- she will not let my boy in that spot unless she gets up. It's really quite interesting to see their interaction and how they work things out.
And because I've paid close attention to their behavior patterns, its easier to predict behavior in new or high stress situations.
Give me a break.
First off, I didn't say they were "my" methods. I said those kinds of (NON-HEAVY-DUTY) behaviors are frowned upon by PC people. Obviously I'm correct. Even though there is HARDLY any "pain" involved, and it only involves a few weeks of training, not a whole lifetime.
I AM definitely Koehler-oriented, and not shy about the choke - but it is not to be "choked", either.
If you want anecdotes, I'll tell you I've never had a problem with my Koehler-trained GERMAN SHEPHERDS, nor has my sister. No, we've not had many dogs, but there you go. They are completely happy, too (never mind we've spent $$$$$$$$$ on their myriad allergy issues, including hard labor such as constant bathing), and the dead 1s never "turned" on anyone.
(My current dog has inherent character flaws, but her aggression many years ago involved sudden possessiveness of food, not anything with her choker. She was modified back into good behavior, though I never totally trust her with food.)
We watch Cesar Milan's show all the time and I have never seen him do anything with a dog on any show that I would find objectionable. He saves dogs that most trainers would have euthanized. There are lots of ways to train dogs. My Beagle will do anything in the world for a turkey jerky. My chihuahua on the other hand needs a shushing occasionally.
Beautiful dogs.
I've never (well, beyond childhood, which doesn't count and they never worked out) "adopted" an older dog. So I'm not sure how all that would work out. Only pups.
I never understood, since I took over the reins of dogs as a teen (my parents weren't really "animal" people and they nor my siblings didn't really get it at all), why so many "nice-nice" people with pets can hardly do anything with their dogs. I took dogs very seriously when I was in high school; after studying a lot for a while we got a "show" GS (LOL). I conditioned and trained her, and between her nature (plain as a puppy) and her up-bringing, she is the most wonderful dog I ever even heard of. No trouble at all. I never understand why people crate up their dogs "when we're out", or even at night, or can't go for walks (well, my current anxious dog IS difficult when she gets anxious about dogs, people, etc), or go for rides. I conditioned my dogs for this. My dogs have the run of the house at all times; I don't worry about them ruining anything. They're no trouble. I expect they will be "free". They need the discipline to understand how to handle freedom.
My next-door neighbors got a Golden last year (sigh). They're working on an "invisible" fence now, since they have a smallish yard which back butts right up against our front/side. When talking to them the wife mentions how wonderfully calm (LOL, again the anxiety she doesn't always see) our dog is - no running, no escaping, no barking (per se). This when her still-young dog ran pell-mell to our dog and toddler from their backyard when we opened our garage. She was "grateful" our elder GS wasn't perturbed by this, etc.
"He saves dogs that most trainers would have euthanized."
And this is what Koehler did. His reaction to people who are scared of the choke chain, e.g., was "they seem more scared of flicking the collar than killing the dog (because he's 'incorrigible')."
Sad, but sometimes necessary...
Very nice. GSD's are very tolerant dogs and can sense when another dog is being aggressive or just wants to say hi. That's one of the reasons I love the breed so much. When we lose the next dog, I'll be adding a King Shepherd to the pack.
the biggest misunderstanding about dogs is that you can't train their loyalty, you have to earn it. Dogs aren't stupid, they are very intelligent, it's us that can't understand what they want to tell us. Dogs are much better at cross species communication than we are.
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