Why It's So Hard to Write in 2020

And that was just the beginning...

It's been such a strange year.  It really has.  Amazing highs, a really weird worldwide situation.  In 2018, in 2019, writing and writing this blog was such an important outlet.  A release vale of sorts to keep me sane.  And you would think this year it would be especially needed.  But 2020 has been such a strange year.

It's no secret the blog has been more sporadic this year.  Part of it has been trying to find a new routine.  In all the adjustment, in all the change, still trying to find what rhythm works to keep this moving in a regular cadence.  But that's not the biggest reason.

And it's not like there's not enough to write about.  On the contrary, there is an abundance of topics to write about.  There seems to be something that is worth writing about every few minutes.  

That's the problem.

This year has just been overwhelming.  There's too much to write about.  By the time I can formulate thoughts about one subject, something more pressing, more infuriating, comes about that demands attention.  

Just look at this week.  The election results, the claims of fraud and the president's unhinged press conferences.  The fact that news stations have cut away from the president before he can get more than a few minutes into his speech to remind the viewers that he is lying and to correct the falsehoods that he is making about our democratic process.  The red mirage/blue shift.  The court challenges to the vote count.  

That's all in addition to personal life, holidays, events, etc.  On top of all the other changes that have happened throughout the year.  Us moving states, joining a new church, finding new friends, trying to adapt to life here.

It's a part of how this year has affected us all.  Worn us all down and out.  And from my perspective, it's been a combination of 2020 itself and this presidency.  The presidency was challenging enough in 2018 and 2019, but this year, his antics have seemed to tripled.  Combine that with the utter craziness that is 2020 and it was impossible to keep up.  Fires, plague, murder hornets, shortages, the death of so many industries, hurricanes well into the Greek alphabet, social unrest.  

It's overwhelming.  And it's draining to try and get worked up about it all to write about it.  So, that's why the focus has shifted primarily to Mitchuation Updates and scheduled holiday writeups.  To things that are a bit easier to write about, to focus on, and to prioritize.

I am hopeful the rhythm is coming back.  I am hopeful things might slow down at some point in the near future.  I look forward to restarting some of the series, like What I'm Thankful For here in November, the Christmas posts in December, Why I Love My Church because there's so much to be excited about in our new church home.  I look forward to be able to write about trips and vacations hopefully sometime soon.  This has been our first year without a vacation and that has been a little challenging for us.

As always, I thank you for your readership.  It humbles me to think anyone reads this, and I appreciate it more than you know.

I hope your 2020 will start to calm down.  I hope we are reaching a point where things might start to slow down.

A point where we can all breathe.

As we do, I'll be here.

Top 10 Comic Characters I Would Like To Write

For Top 10 lists a suggestion was made to list my top 10 favorite superheroes.  Right now that list is a little too daunting for me to tackle, as like many things, it becomes a "favorite at the moment" list and requires whittling down from a very long containing more than ten entries.  So I'm taking a different approach.  Instead I'm going to focus on my favorite characters that I would love to write.  That I have a specific idea for a story or story element that I would love to see implemented.  This is a much easier list to get to ten.

It's largely Marvel as I have been primarily a Marvel Zombie for most of my life, but there are a few key DC superheroes I'd love a crack at.

• Elektra - Elektra represents probably the most pressing idea that I have.  While she is a fascinating character, and has been the subject of key exemplary stories, I feel she's largely been under served through her continued existence.  Most writers focus on her ninja background and connection to the Hand.  I think that is the least interesting aspect of her character.  There is a wealth of story potential there and in particular, a way to craft a Marvel story that has not been done before.
• Wonder Woman - Wonder Woman is one where I would love to do a lot of synthesis.  It would likely have to be an Elseworlds tale, but I would love to be able to give Wonder Woman something she's always been missing in comparison to Superman and Batman - a fictional city that is as much a character as anyone else in the book and a cool headquarters/personal retreat.  Batman and Superman each have a fictional city that reflects their character with several specific known set pieces that can be visited with their own set of supporting characters.  For Batman, Gotham City with the GCPD (rooftop in particular), the Batcave, Wayne Manor, and Wayne Enterprises.  You can add in things like Leslie Thompkin's Clinic, Crime Alley, and even new additions like the Belfry for variety.  With Superman, you have Metropolis, with the Daily Planet, LexCorp, Bibbo's, Smallville and the Kent Farm, and the Fortress of Solitude.  If you combine pieces of Wonder Woman's history, I think you can create a very interesting similar set up for the character and would like to develop it.
• Daredevil - Daredevil represents one of my true favorite characters that I would actually love to write (perhaps number one favorite character of all time).  I love the contradictions of the character and would love to do a big Hush style arc on the character touching all the major points and characters in his periphery.  Particular interest for the overlap of my law background and comics interest.
• Batman - I think it goes every writer has a Batman story in them and I think I have just one.  Would not be interested in a longer run, but have one idea for a psychology based story that would be fun to explore.  Plus  it would be great fun to use a couple of the lesser known villains like the Charlatan. 
• Moon Knight - Moon Knight is another character where the primary topic people focus on (here the dissociative identity disorder) is one of the least interesting aspects of the character.  From my reading of the early issues, it never seemed like there were supposed to be separate identities, but just aliases used (as Batman does with Matches Malone).  I would love to explore, though, the Egyptian-Jewish connection.  The son of a rabbi serving as the avatar of an Egyptian God.  That's rich for conflict and story potential.  Plus, I think there is great potential for a Times Past-style story regarding previous incarnations of Moon Knight.
• Hawkman - The recent developments in Hawkman's character open up so much story potential.  A continual warrior who reincarnates across time and space.  Everything is on the table and can be explored.  I love the Indiana Jones aspect of the characters background and the set up in the New Orleans of the DCU, St. Roch.  Add in a His Girl Friday style relationship with Hawkgirl and it's one interesting series.
• The Fantastic Four - It would just be exciting to write a big story about a happy family exploring the Marvel multiverse.  And I would want it all in.  The Future Foundation with the backup Fantastic Force.  Naming Puppy.  Wyatt Wingfoot, Alicia Masters, Willie and Billie Lumpkin.  Franklin and Valeria's new nanny (protector?).  Aunt Tara.  Crazy Uncle Doom who is sometimes supporting, sometimes antagonizing.  It really is the World's Greatest Comic Magazine.
• Black Panther - Black Panther would just be so much fun to world build.  To further define the Crocodile Tribe, the Hyena Tribe, the Rhinoceros Tribe (in addition to the established Panther Tribe and White Gorilla Tribe).  To explore the neighbors to Wakanda and to flesh out Panther's rogues gallery.  Given my affection for the Priest run, I'd have to bring back Everett K. Ross, king of the whiteboys, but to be able to do grand super-heroics and Game of Thrones style political intrigue would be so much fun.
• Shazam! - This is an idea that has been brewing since Geoff Johns introduced the Rock of Finality in opposition to the Rock of Eternity.  I stumbled across something that would make a great story regarding who sits on the Rock of Finality and how that would impact Captain Marvel and crew.  Plus,it lead to a series name that I think is particularly clever. (And no matter what they are doing now, though the book needs to be Shazam! for copyright and recognition, the character is and shall always be Captain Marvel).
• Gambit - I may be one of the few people who like Gambit out of the X-men.  I like the Tithe Collector and the pact between the Thieves and Assassins Guilds.  I like Gambit as a solo star in New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana.  As much as I'm enjoying the Mr. and Mrs. X series with him and Rogue, my preference would be a solo Gambit nearly completely divorced from the X-men universe, getting up to a little good, a little bad, and a lot of trouble on his own.  Love-hate relationship with his ex, Belladonna, and complicated relationship with his father.  Something Southern Gothic.

That's my list, eclectic, but with some overlapping themes.  What characters most interest you and fill your fan fiction?