Ong Bak Ain't No Joke

I saw Ong Bak tonight, and let me tell you: The RZA knows what he's talking about. That shit is awesome. I'll tell you right now--and I know I'm hardly the first to say it--Tony Jaa's going to be big. Seriously, I don't think they're far off at all when they compare him to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. He's pulling off stuff in that movie that I've only seen in video games, and that's pretty impressive.

I'll admit, it's a little rough around the edges, but the fights and stunts are second to none. There is a plot, but it's mostly a hindrance to the ass-beating. It's as follows: There's this guy who cuts the heads off Buddha statues, for some reason that I never quite understood. His guy cuts off the head of Tony Jaa's local statue, apparently unaware that Tony Jaa is a fucking badass. There's also a cute girl who shouts a lot and a guy named "Dirty Balls." Eventually, Tony Jaa kicks enough people in the head that everything works out okay. Sorta.

I'll admit, it doesn't sound like much, but it's a joy to watch. It's got the same kind of hectic energy to it as Fearless Hyena. The action's incredible--it's the kind of movie you just can't help but say "Oh my god!" while watching--and the jokes and sight gags are pretty funny. And it's the kind of movie that you just know was produced by a bunch of guys who stood around saying things like:

"Hey, you think you could jump over a moving car?"
"Shit yeah, let's set that up."

or

"Go ahead and make that loop of barbed wire a little smaller. I'll want to see if I can get through it head AND feet first."

or

"Say, how long do you think you could fight after we set you on fire?"
"I dunno, maybe a minute? Why?"
"No reason. Aaaaaaaaaand... Action!"

Also, Tony fights a guy who looks like an Australian Glenn Danzig. How can you afford not to see it?

In other news, I finally got some concept art for "Wages of Sin," and I think Hunter did a pretty bang-up job of it. Check it out:



That's Amos Flint, sheriff of Tumbleweed, TX, and the protagonist of the story. Yep, he's the good guy. I'm really excited about it. Phil's definitely going to be at HeroesCon with Chad, and if all goes according to the Master Plan™, he'll have copes of Gone To Texas AND The New Adventures of Jack Kirby #1, and Chad'll have at least the Dr. Impossible ashcan. I'll be there too, most likely, but I'll be working the booth or wandering around getting sketches. So, if by some odd chance you're not one of the ten people who read this thing to whom I speak on a regular basis, come on down and buy 'em.

Anyway, between Tony Jaa and ol' Amos there, I think the badass quotient has been met for tonight's ISB. Also, it's way too late for me to be awake without reading my comics.