Hey cats and kittens, Vito from STUCK here. As you know by now, STUCK is the story of a train that is stuck on the Manhattan Bridge…specifically, a car at the back of the train…during a terrorist attack. If you haven’t read STUCK yet, by all means, check out Chapter One, Two and Three (which is on a short break as we try to catch up on art and scripts). As a small distraction, I was asked by site guru, Chris Arrant, to list my favorite movies that take place in NY. Seems he wanted me to make sure that you all know that I love this city. It’s where I keep my stuff, as the Tick once said. And I do love this city; there’s plenty to love. And these movies also love NY. So, get your NetFlix queue cued up and watch these movies (in no order):

1. Annie Hall - There are only two directors in the entire world of filmmaking that truly love New York, and one of them is Woody Allen. There are a bunch of movies I could have picked, but Annie Hall captures the zeitgeist of NY in the 70’s so perfectly, that there are no other choices. Bonus - I have a huge crush on Diane Keaton.

2. The 25th Hour - Spike Lee is another director that loves NY (but he’s not the other director alluded to above). I was half tempted to say Do The Right Thing, but that’s an ode to Brooklyn. The 25th Hour is an ode to post 9-11 NY, which is right up STUCK’s alley.

3. The Warriors - There is no better movie to show the true span of NY than this one. We start in NYC and have a long night ahead of us as we, with the Warriors, have to make it back to Coney Island (in Brooklyn) to prove our innocence. Walter Hill, who directed, also did The Getaway, which is a classic Steve McQueen movie…but it doesn’t take place in NYC.

4. A Bronx Tale - For all the recent attention that this movie has received, mostly negative, do not, DO NOT, underestimate this movie. Directed by New Yorker, Robert De Niro, based on actor Chazz Palminteri’s childhood, this is an amazing snapshot of NY in the 60’s…particularly, in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx. It’s the subtle details that make this movie a favorite.

5. GoodFellas - And here’s the other NY Director, alluded to in #1. Martin Scorcese is New York. And while GoodFellas takes place in Queens, the spectre of the big city is always in the background. Paired with A Bronx Tale, you have a great snapshot of the neighborhoods and outer boroughs that make NY what it is and made NY what it was. If you don’t already own this movie, then put this at the top of your list.

Other Favorites - Hair (hippies in Viet Nam era NY); Party Girl (Parker Posey is exactly every girl I knew at that time); Gangs of New York (Bill the Butcher rules); The Godfather (it’s so easy to forget that this is a NY movie because you become so engrossed in the Corleone’s lives); The Professional (Gary Oldman is the greatest actor of our time…quote me); Die Hard With A Vengeance (another movie that spans the entire city and shows the true size of NY); Taxi Driver (De Niro and Scorcese…’nuff said).

What about you? What are your favorite NY based films? Post ‘em here and let’s get to talkin’ ’bout ‘em.

That’s all from me. Check out THE SYSTEM by STUCK co-creator, Tom Williams, and writer, Tony Goins, this Monday!

-Vito

to our big brother, Act-I-Vate.  Congratulations to Dean, Dan, Nikki, Tim, Leland, Nick, Ryan, Pedro…oh my god!  Too many names!  But congratulations to you all on one year of fantastic stories, envelope pushing, and genre defining.

From all of us at The Chemistry Set

Chris Arrant here, writer of Wednesday’s 1 Way Ticket. ‘ve been a webcomic reader for awhile, but since becoming a webcomicker myself I have engorged myself with the buffet of great webcomics out there. In an effort to document the greatness, I tasked myself with making a list of the top 5. That top 5 grew into a top 6, and a top 7 and so forth… So here’s my favorite webcomics I read that I can think of off the top of my head. Check them out, and report back with what you think — and your favorite webcomics as well!

Multiplex - Gordon McAlpin illustrates the conversations and characters that go on inside a movie theatre. If it weren’t so true, it wouldn’t be so funny. The inter-office romance mixed with the snark movie nerd musings make this a strip up right up my alley.

No Pink Ponies - what McAlpin does for movie theatres, Remy “Eisu” Moktar does for comic books stores. But he does it with a twist with a decidely female owner who pines over a handsome young man at a neighboring comic book store. But far from a romantic comedy reeking of Meg Ryan, Eisu’s strip is permeated with old school comic book lore without getting meta and is a warm comic that every stated comic fan should readd.

Immortal - I’d be lying if I said this comic didn’t make my webcomic amibitions happen. It’s not that I didn’t think about it before, it’s just that Dean (and Act-i-Vate’s) work showed how print-minded comics folk could come to the internet medium without losing themselves in the process. From the tri-colored presentation to the one panel shots, the story and the dialogue (oh, the dialogue)… it really comes out as an unadultered take on a veteran cartoonist doing exactly what he wants to do, how he wants to do it.

Kelly - a sexual drug thriller? I think that’s what I’d call it. Reading Dan Goldman comics makes me sweat — it seems like it’s all in a heat-filled room and things are operating a little different. Goldman’s artwork is emboldened and unafraid, which is two good things to have.

Hebi No Hada - Rami’s doing the kind of comic that makes me jealous. His shaded lines hint at a sublime story, but as he draws you in with his delicate movements it escalates to a mute crescendo. I’m marveled by the story he created, but also the way in which he used the medium of comics to better tell the story.

Zdarskyverse - You know the guy in your friendsgroup known as “the funny one”. I imagine Zdarsky’s not like that — he’s some sort of stealth comedy ninja jumping out of the shadows and blinding you with hysterics. If I may be so bold, probably the best humor cartoonist around. They’re meant to be funny, right?

Butterfly - like I related to Dean recently, Butterfly is the comic that comic nerds want to give to their child relatives. It’s a perfect gateway drug introduction to superheroes. But it also works for the comics nerd himself, providing a layered and loving homage to the structure of the modern american superhero.

American Elf It proports to be a diary comic, but I’m not so sure. It doesn’t need to be. Regardless, it’s a great four panel burst that invites a pause each time a new one appears for me to let it soak in.

Kevin is still working away on a few other projects so we’re continuing to serialize NIGHT’S PLUTONIAN SHORE illustrated by Mr. Jamesmith. This is my first science fiction story, by the by, and I’m pretty proud of how it came out. Aren’t you?

Catch up here.

TODT HILL returns in February.