Yearender, Apostrophe Twelve

Status updates, holiday edition.

Dec. 22. Gift bag sent by a PR agency has my name on it, but my surname's misspelled as "Palumbarit." I should be used to it by now; I've been reading and hearing that since I was a kid. But it's still kinda annoying.

Dec. 23. Pope tries to be relevant with Twitter, but is still spewing the same old anti-gay poison.

Dec. 23. I noticed that some of the persons who annoyed me the most in 2012 were the ones that asked me to write about their event, like their page, or some other favor, but couldn't be bothered to respond to my questions or requests.

Dec. 24. Nag-gym, tapos kakain ng marami ngayong Pasko. Ayos.

Dec. 25. Chicken and ice cream overload. Thank you, siblings and siblings-in-law. Happy Holidays.

Dec. 26. Still feeling Christmas-y. Just food and TV tonight.

Dec. 29. Just finished Awkward season two. Identified with the main character and, to some extent, the complicated romance angle. The sidekick Tamara is really funny.

Dec. 29. I'm intrigued by the changes brought about by Amazing Spider-Man # 700. Wish I had the same enthusiasm for the X-titles post-AVX.

Dec. 30. I'm fortunate to have met and befriended a number of nice people in 2012. It was great to hear from old friends, too. I'd say I was quite generous in some way or another during the year, even when I wasn't thinking of paying whatever forward. Sadly, though, some people have no concept of quid pro quo, or even common decency. Well, at least that's something I learned this year.

Dec. 30. 12 movies I enjoyed this year, in no particular order: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Avengers, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-Man, Argo, Wreck-It Ralph, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Chronicle, Cabin in the Woods, ParaNorman, I Do Bidoo Bidoo.

Dec. 31. So, New Year’s eve. Looking back, I can see many things to be grateful for. I thank my PDI editors for the assignments; it’s still a pleasure to write for the paper after a decade. I also thank The Fortnightly editors and staffers; it was a sweet gig while it lasted. Thanks to various employers as well for copywriting assignments; I wish I had the energy to accept everything you offered this year. Also, my sincere thanks to the DeviantArt users who keep faving my stuff (12,600+ now), and the Tumblr bloggers who repost my drawings. And of course, thanks to my friends and family for just being there! A happy and prosperous 2013 to all of us!

12 Gay Comic Book Moments of 2012

Clockwise from upper left: Alan Scott a.k.a. Green Lantern is rebooted as a gay man. Morning Glory Academy frenemies Guillaume and Hisao are reunited. Invincible’s Monster Girl starts an illicit relationship with Zall. Ozymandias is confirmed as bisexual. Minutemen member Silhouette’s relationship is expounded on. Billy the Vampire Slayer debuts. Kevin Keller marries Clay Walker. Wiccan and Hulkling kiss on-panel. Julie Power and Karolina Dean start dating. Doop seduces a man and a woman to protect the Jean Grey School. Northstar marries Kyle Jinadu. Striker accompanies a fan to the prom.  

Love Machinery, Seven

More holiday pics.

Plas on JLA # 60:

"Neron versus Santa! The JLA transformed into coal! Not Waid's best issue--actually, it was a bit bizarre to end his run with this one--but it's a pretty funny Christmas story!"

Alan Moore's Tomorrow Stories # 5. Really hilarious when the First American was visited by the Spirits of Comic Books Past, Present, and Future.

Herc on Thor # 444.
"Zounds! He's a mean one, that Groonk! The issue was dedicated to Theodor 'Dr. Seuss' Geisel. The monster was later classified as a Morlock in a Marvel Handbook. By the way, I attended Eric Masterson's Christmas party as 'Harry Cleese'!"

Nice reading this again. Psychokinetic Santa versus the cops of the Tenth Precinct.

Dagger on her old comic book.

"Our war on drugs ended in this double-sized final issue. The Christmas story was bittersweet; we witnessed the death of a traitorous ally shortly before the birth of a child. And even back then, I was a provocatively dressed teen."

Broken android Hourman, the singing time machine. Happy New Year!

“♫ It’s time to begin, isn’t it... ♪ If you’re lost you can look and you will find me, time after time… ♫ If I could turn back time… ♪ Time, time, time, see what’s become of me… ♫ Crap. I’ll get you for this, Mxyzptlk!”

A Tumble in the Hey

It's nice that some Tumblr bloggers credit me when they repost my drawings. The “Bat Hugs” drawing has gotten over 520 notes, to date. Thanks, Tumblr bloggers!

Merry, Happy 7: Bat Sisters

Bat-gals Blackbat (Cassandra Cain), Oracle (Barbara Gordon), Batgirl (Stephanie Brown) and Misfit (Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe) take a quick Yuletide break… and celebrate Gail Simone’s return to Batgirl! Enjoy the holidays, friends, whichever ones you may celebrate. 

Restless realm revisited

Comparisons are inevitable, but while it may not be as grand an adventure as the first “Lord of the Rings,” the initial part in “The Hobbit” film series is certainly a spectacular cinematic offering.

Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth looks and feels comfortably familiar; its newer locales and denizens expand the previous trilogy’s fantastic mythology, similarly a visually ensorcelling roster of heroes and terrifying lands.

The first part of this new prequel trilogy, “An Unexpected Journey,” tells the tale of a young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), the hobbit approached and persuaded by Gandalf (Ian McKellen) into joining him and a squad of dwarf warriors in their quest to reclaim lost territory.

Bilbo gets into one monster-related scrape after another, proving time and again his heroism and loyalty to his new allies. A momentous meeting with the mad creature Gollum (Andy Serkis) introduces Bilbo to a long-coveted magic relic, while Gandalf uncovers a strange conspiracy that heralds more ominous events to come.

Like with most heroes from familiar sagas, Bilbo goes on a transformative journey, initially a reluctant, selfish fellow who eventually recognizes his desire for change. Freeman is a snug fit, credibly changing into a more confident presence in a couple of the film’s pivotal moments.

It’s elating to see older characters and their actors return; aside from McKellen as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett returns as the majestic Galadriel, Hugo Weaving is back as the commanding warrior-king Elrond, and Christopher Lee reprises his sinister sorcerer role Saruman.

While it doesn’t quite radiate the grandiosity of the previous films, “An Unexpected Journey” is sturdy and mesmerizing, a richly rendered reintroduction to the otherworldly realm. And Bilbo Baggins’ journey is rife with conflict and wit, giving us a new underdog to root for all over again. 

Recycled Revelry

Status updates, compiled.

Dec. 17. Muuuuusssst... transcribe... aging phone interview...

Dec. 18. I don't watch Gossip Girl--I only got to see half of the first season, I think--but I love the finale's revelation that _________ is actually G.G.

Dec. 20. Pre-Christmas traffic is hateful.

Dec. 21. Wonder how the next X-Files movie will address the December 2012 doomsday prophecy. The show established it as the long-scheduled arrival of alien invaders.

Dec. 22. Rereading Alan Moore's Top Ten, five years after I lent the issues to a friend. Still a great read. Love Gene Ha's ultra-detailed art.

Dec. 22. Just saw Taylor Swift's I Knew You Were Trouble video. Not bad, it's actually darker than the imagery in my head when I first heard the song. I was actually hoping for a brighter, less story-centric video, complete with tight choreography. Yeah, I know next to nothing about dancing, but it was there, so clear in my head. Well.

Dec. 22. Met interesting, genuinely nice people this year, but also met people I should be wary of. 

Merry, Happy 6: The 12 Gays of Christmas

Some of the year’s notable or prominent LGBT characters, transformed into stocking stuffers: Batwoman (Batwoman), Hisao (Morning Glories), Striker (Avengers Academy), Kevin Keller (Life With Archie), Monster Girl (Invincible), Doop (Wolverine and the X-Men), Green Lantern (Earth 2), Silhouette (Before Watchmen: Minutemen), Billy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Daken (Daken: Dark Wolverine), Lightspeed (Avengers Academy), Northstar (Astonishing X-Men).

Love Machinery, Six

Christmas edition!

Emma Frost, on the 2004 adjectiveless X-Men Christmas issue:

“That scene actually happened in the story. Iceman, that failure of an accountant and X-Man, threw a snowball that almost hit my nose. Kitty and Rachel gained a new roommate, the style-devoid young savage X-23. Sage restored LeBeau’s eyesight with a kiss—I’m not lying, darlings, it happened. And Lila Cheney, older and somewhat more irrelevant, played some of her minor hits and unreleased tracks.”

Recent Book Sale find. L. Frank Baum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) and Charles Santore's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Gorgeously painted and very creative version of Santa's origin; he was a human infant raised by fairies and was eventually called a saint for his kind deeds.

Grail on Funny Komiks # 550, Dec. 1988.
"Amphibia and her family discover the Star of Bethlehem. Argon replaces Santa's sick reindeer in 'Starboy.' Dog people worship the human Holy Family in 'Superdog.' And Niknok re-gifts a rice cooker. It's a pleasantly bizarre Christmas issue!"

Thor and Wasp.
"Odin's beard! Yggdrasil! What have you done to the World Tree, woman?!"
"Scrooge."

Another Book Sale find. The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza, about the world's most over-decorated house. Brilliant, heartwarming stuff by David Shannon.

Iceman on the post-Fall of the Mutants X-Factor issue:
"The Empire State Building's antenna was destroyed during the battle with Apocalypse. I made a Christmas tree to replace it temporarily the next day. I dunno how they cleaned that up after it melted, but I'm betting Damage Control did, and they must've hated my guts for weeks. Scott later discovered that Maddie was alive, but died for real with the X-Men in Dallas. And the kids--Rusty, Skids, Boom Boom, Rictor, Leech, and Artie--personally delivered gifts to children who got hurt during the battle. Aw, it still warms my ice-cold heart."

"Ah, mem'ries! Old bastich didn't go down without a fight, but he fragging got nothin' on the Main Man. I remember that gutting like it was yesterday! Hawr!"

Merry, Happy 5: Joy to Their World

The Lexy, Nance & Argus spinoff, Psychic Love: Jim and Ma-An Save the World. Because I have new things to say, and new ways to say them. I’m itching to do this story. It’ll be out. Someday. 

Jigsaw jumbling

Romance and reincarnation form an inescapable bond in “Cloud Atlas,” starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving and Ben Whishaw, among other actors. Directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, the multi-genre film focuses on a number of characters finding themselves inexplicably connected to each other through the ages.

Based on the book by David Mitchell, “Cloud Atlas” forms a massive tapestry, connecting several simple stories set in different eras. There are period dramas interspersed with two science fiction tales and a contemporary comedy, but the non-linear storytelling doesn’t confuse at all. There are several characters to keep track of, but they’re in distinct epochs, and are likewise distinctly presented.

Oddly, the number of characters that each actor portrays doesn’t muddle the narrative. Most are recognizable despite prosthetics, but those aged by layers of effects look fake and their facial expressions and movements are noticeably hindered. And while we’re talking about flaws, Hanks’ first scene is unintelligible; his muttering and the accent aren’t a nice mix for his first wizened character.

Those aside, the stories combine into a powerful, potent picture. The rapports between friends and lovers grow organically, and their heartbreaks and failures reverberate across time. The somewhat experimental jumbling of these scenarios is a welcome, adventurous gamble that results in a trippy and moving dreamscape. 

Sequential Mixtape

I just read this article that came out a few months ago; it included my old comic book in its "komiks mixtape" rundown: "There's not a komik that's quite like this that managed to be edgy and heartfelt at the same time."

Thanks, Shinji Manlangit and Philippine Star!

Filipino icon, landmarks in History travel show

(Published Dec. 21, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Contributor

“What I’ve learned is, regardless of where you go, the people you meet are proud of where they come from,” enthused photographer and travel show host Scott Woodward.

“Around the World with Voyager” is a five-part History Channel series about Asian countries visited by Woodward via his yacht, the John Walker and Sons Voyager. The Singapore-based Canadian photographer became acquainted with the eclectic cultures of Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, India and Vietnam for the series.

“Generally, when I make a portrait of anybody, I want to capture a bit of their personality in a still photograph,” Woodward said in an exclusive phone interview with the Inquirer. “That’s what really drives me.”

The host took pictures of every chosen country’s select landmarks and icons. For the Philippine leg of the tour, Woodward was accompanied in certain locations by renowned filmmaker Brillante Ma. Mendoza, who was chosen to represent the country as its featured icon. Mendoza will appear in the third episode.

“Brillante Mendoza was chosen for being a compelling figure in the Philippines, for being a magnetic person whom people would find interesting,” said Woodward. “My experience with him in Manila was wonderful—he was extremely interesting, very articulate and noticeably passionate about his craft and also about the Philippines. He is a very proud Filipino. I felt we connected creatively and I think we share a lot in common, philosophically, about the creative process!”

Woodward explored and took pictures of Quiapo, Intramuros, the University of Santo Tomas and Manila Bay.

“We can look at the show as one-part travelogue and one-part biography. So the travelogue part, that was just me exploring the city and going to these places. As for the biography aspect, it was Brillante with me, telling me about the places.”

The photographer, whose pictures have appeared in National Geographic Magazine, Vogue and The New York Times, immediately noticed visual traits that are different from the country’s Asian neighbors.

“Compared to Taiwan, there’s a lot more energy and chaos in the streets of Manila. So that stood out for me, absolutely. When you compare it to Hong Kong, there’s a lot more traffic happening here. The sunsets in Manila were fantastic. In Manila Bay, the colors you get in the sky at sunset are beautiful and remarkable; I enjoyed that.”

Aside from the photography element, the show is unique for being deeply immersive, according to the TV host. “It’s not just me touring these cities as a tourist but it’s me seeing things through the eyes of somebody who has made that [particular city] his home… I don’t know of other travel shows which present the side of the presenter or host exploring these places and shooting photographs of people there.”

Woodward is thankful for his incredible “voyage” across Manila, which yielded many picture-worthy moments and memories.

“The common thread that I learned amongst all these people is pride in their home country and a desire to share that with the world,” he said. “It’s different from just arriving in and exploring Manila, and going to the usual tourist destinations. I got a little bit of insight into a part of the Philippines that not everybody gets to have, and to really use that icon as a conduit to get deeper!”

(The Brillante Mendoza episode will air on Jan. 14 at 11 p.m., with replays on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m., Jan. 19 at 11 p.m. and Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. “Around the World with Voyager” airs Mondays, 11 p.m., on History.) 

True Lies, Fake Fibs

Status updates.

Dec. 12. Cloud Atlas. Enjoyed it. There are six or so simple stories that inevitably connect, as expected. Perplexing, sometimes annoying, but often grand and moving. I want Ben Whishaw to interpret the Doctor (Who) role someday, even for just a season.

Dec. 13. Good workout today.

Dec. 13. Hugo Weaving overload. Watched him play seven different characters (six for Cloud Atlas and one for The Hobbit) in just two days.

Dec. 16. Aisha Tyler as Jake's mom on Glee = nice casting. Character's subdued, though, and doesn't make use of her upbeat personality. But glad she's there, nonetheless.

Dec. 16. So. High school batchmate dropped by again. She was with her 13-year-old daughter who's supposedly my godchild (she's not; I never consented to it or signed anything). Batchmate mentions that the girl is pregnant. WTF. The father's an 18-year-old, supposedly. Told her to stop asking for help.

Dec. 17. Was at the Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars) press conference earlier. Girl's surprisingly more gorgeous and charismatic in person.

The Gr8 List: 2012 Comic Books

(Published by 8list, Dec. 7, 2012.)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Dozens of comic books made 2012 a memorable and fun for devout and newbie readers alike, but let’s narrow it down to a few of the year’s must-read graphic novels, ongoing titles, and miniseries:

8 Life With Archie

The title depicts two potential futures where grown-up Archie ended up marrying Veronica in one reality and Betty in the other. But the similar element in those two separate timelines is the wedding of the gang’s gay friend in issue # 16, written by Paul Kupperberg. War hero Kevin Keller tied the knot with physical therapist Clay Walker twice in the moving—and inevitably controversial—milestone issue.

7 Batman

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s ongoing run on the rebooted, flagship Bat-book is mostly inspired, aptly grim, and treads on previously untouched territory. The year’s arcs involve pitting the Dark Knight against the enigmatic Court of Owls and the deadlier, more grotesque Joker. Snyder’s tight collaborations with other artists on occasional back-up stories also enhance the book.

6 Morning Glories

Reading Morning Glories requires time and patience, but it’s ultimately rewarding. It focuses on a large cast of characters, students and teachers who have secret agendas and missions at a mysterious school. Slowly but surely, writer Nick Spencer and illustrator Joe Eisma unravel the complicated puzzles, which involve strange conspiracies and time travel.

5 Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila

The 85-page first issue spectacularly brings back Ada, the effeminate male beautician who transforms into the sassy superwoman Zsazsa Zaturnnah. Packed with biting humor, big action sequences and an intriguing cast, Carlo Vergara’s Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila is an ecstatic, imaginative storytelling celebration.

4 Avengers Academy

Easily the most consistent and entertaining Avengers book from the Heroic Age batch, the now-canceled “Avengers Academy” had a great year and a memorable run, thanks to innovative and continuity-respecting scribe Christos Gage. The series featured classic Avengers with baggage as teachers to a new generation of super-beings, young trainees with the potential for villainy.

3 Before Watchmen: The Minutemen

While it initially seemed sacrilegious to even consider expounding on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen mythology, Darwyn Cooke immediately proved that it’s not a bad idea at all. The writer delves into the complex connections between members of the Minutemen, elaborating profoundly on a number of minor characters. And oddly, his playful, cartoony style works in realizing some of the costumed adventurers’ darker moments.

2 Courtney Crumrin

Young sorceress Courtney Crumrin isn’t exactly heroic and nice—a couple of her previous graphic novels can attest to that—but she gets to prove her selflessness when a new friend gets into serious magical trouble. The colored monthly’s new stories by author-artist Ted Naifeh connect nicely to the older adventures, while introducing mysterious mystics and monsters from all over the Crumrin-verse.

1 The Walking Dead

Still gritty and unpredictable after all these years, The Walking Dead recently marked its 100^th issue anniversary with the introduction of a new foe, Negan, and the untimely, brutal exit of one of the book’s beloved characters. It’s been a horrific year for Rick Grimes and company, but the title is rejuvenated by new challenges and even more zombie apocalypse survivors.

Merry, Happy 4: Korra Kringle

Avatar Korra, Asami, Iroh, Mako, Bolin and Meelo celebrate Republic City’s winter holidays.  

Love Machinery, Five

Thanks for this very cool alarm clock, Disney!

Wolverine, reminiscing:
"Look at that, X-Men # 205. I was really something. Threatening to stab a kid in a Code-era book. By the way, that's Katie Power, honorary X-Man. Yup, look it up, kiddies, she was even wearing the X-jacket Kitty gave her. Anyway, that was a nice sort'a Christmas issue, with the bloody Deathstrike beatdown and all! Those were the days. Now I'm all self-righteous and sh*t."

Santa Claustrophobia! Very cool book by Mike Reiss and David Catrow. Stressed-out Santa takes a vaycay. Cupid, Pumpkinhead, and the April Fool, among other holiday and cultural icons, help deliver his gifts. Dang funny stuff.

Santa head sculpted and painted by the late, great Nick Manabat, given to me by his family in the '90s.

Havok on Uncanny X-Men # 228, 1988.
"Shortly after we took over the Reavers' base in Australia, Longshot 'read' all the loot with his psychometry. We played Santa all over the world; we returned the stolen stuff. After the adventure, Ali got a bike, and Gateway got a slice of cake and a flute. We don't have fun, standalone stories like this anymore!"

Merry, Happy 3: Oh, Christmas Groot

Guardians of the Galaxy members Groot and Rocket Raccoon, festive for the holidays. I miss the DnA cosmic books (GotG, Annihilators, Nova). 

Telling the Drama

Some status updates and minutiae.

Nov. 30. Just got my 12,000th DeviantArt fave and 201st Watcher. Woohoo!

Dec. 3. Malapit na ang The Hobbit.

Dec. 3. Solar TV (Jack TV, Jack City, ETC, etc.), since no one else seems interested in airing Doctor Who in this region, please get the rights to air it. It would be great if you can show the previous seasons back to back and match-air newer episodes and Christmas specials.

Dec. 3. Wow, just a few weeks of 2012 left. The year just sped by.

Dec. 4. Sawa na sa mga kaherang di marunong magbilang at mga taong walang koordinasyon. Ayoko nang maasar.

Dec. 6. Great that The Walking Dead is still unpredictable, and introducing characters and scenarios exclusive to the show.

Dec. 10. The 8list site's link to my article calls me a "hardcore geek." Wearing that one like a badge.

Merry, Happy 2: Bat Hugs

Batman hugs his family after defeating the Joker and his henchmen in a Christmas-themed carnival. Damian is mocking Tim, as usual. 

Love Machinery Part Four

Little Earthquakes is 20 years old. The tape version kept me company during heavy traffic, until the Walkman's batteries died. Eventually ripped the songs from the CD. Still very therapeutic.

Avengers Academy. It was the only new-ish Avengers title that respected continuity while offering fresh characters and stories. This finale's especially good. The students finally confront their teachers about the secret they discovered way back in the first issue. Friendships end and evolve, and three new relationships are introduced (two of them between gay couples). Fare thee well, Avengers Academy!

Magik and Colossus.
"Merry Christmas, brother! Do you remember this issue?"
"Chyort! You are dead, monster!"

Beast and Nightcrawler.
"Nightcrawler, I'm from the future. How are you? You'll die with a robot hand sticking out of your chest."

Sergio Aragones Funnies. Cool Yule back issue. But there are two stories that aren't Christmas-y; there's a strange one about mobsters and the supernatural, and a nice tale inspired by Sergio's happy childhood.

Guns and doses

Unapologetically brutal, the heist/crime drama “Killing Them Softly” sometimes annoys with its uneven transitions, testing with its jarring cuts and jumpy editing quite early into it. But despite those, the film by “The Assassination of Jesse James’” director Andrew Dominik has its smooth moments, uncompromising in its depiction of urban thuggery and violence.

An efficient enforcer (Brad Pitt) goes after inexperienced crooks (Scott McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn), who brashly stole from mobsters gathered at an illegal gambling den. The young men enjoy their loot, rewarding themselves with escapist doses and other luxuries, but it’s only a matter of time before their quickly shrinking world is turned upside down.

“Killing Them Softly” doesn’t mince words or scenarios; we get a pretty clear—and immensely uncomfortable—idea of how awful the characters are, and how disconcerting their blood-drenched undertakings can be. With most of the characters this unlikeable, it’s not hard to tune out, as one heinous act is succeeded by another. One’s initial discomfort will eventually be replaced by desensitization.

Again, it’s not an easy film to watch. The recurring metaphor for the urban crime enterprise is American politics, with campaigning candidates’ thoughts and clichés flavoring the seedy and dirty dealings of its various players. The delivery of that connection isn’t smoothly executed, and actually comes off as a bit pretentious.

The film is faster-paced than Dominik’s 2007 film, which also starred Pitt. The actor doesn’t have the same charisma or mystique here, as his hitman role is mostly contained and stoic. “Killing Them Softly,” for all its flaws, unabashedly characterizes chaos and criminals with its own distinct brand of dread and dreariness.

The film is an Ayala Cinemas exclusive.

Merry, Happy 1: Santa Who

The Doctor goes on a secret Christmas mission! I miss the tenth Doctor; actor David Tennant was lovingly hyper, and pulled off the geeky-cool look.

‘Wedding’ star says acting made him more honest

(Published Dec. 3, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Contributor

As a teen in the ’90s, actor Brian Austin Green was popular for portraying geeky rapper David Silver on “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

Now 39, Green is playing bachelor musician Tommy on the hourlong comedy-drama series “The Wedding Band” that airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on beTV.

After over two decades in the business, Green is appreciative of his growth as an actor and a person.

“[Acting] made me more honest, which I think people like to see,” he revealed. “When I was younger, I acted because I thought there was something cool about it. It made me feel good about myself. Now, I do it because I love it. It’s what I do for my family. It’s a tough business and you spend so much time between different projects. I’m happy that I made family the most important thing and kept this as a career!”

Honesty figures in playing Tommy, as well. “I think it isn’t really easy to be honest when you’re doing comedy. You get caught up and try to make everybody laugh, then you sort of lose track of any sort of reality. We just continue to push ourselves and each other to be honest and real in every moment.”

“By far, this is the most work I have done on a show since 90210,” he said during a phone interview with various Asian periodicals. “I love comedy. I love the rest of the cast… When you’re going to do this kind of show, this is the kind of people to do it with.”

A few years before landing his “90210” role, Green appeared on “Knots Landing” and “Highway to Heaven.” He spent a decade on “90210” and subsequently landed prominent parts on “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Green knows how to play the piano, but finds it difficult learning the guitar: “I just kind of realized, at some point, that there is no similarity. It’s like learning a completely different language! So, once I wrapped my head around that, that’s when I started learning chords and basic scales.”

Given the chance to renew vows with his wife, actress Megan Fox, he sees a wedding enlivened by either a punk-pop band or a popular male singer like Michael Buble because “he is such an incredible singer… or probably Green Day!”

Fox, new mom to their firstborn Noah, made an unexpected guest appearance on “The Wedding Band,” revealed Green. “It was something we never planned. It just worked out in an episode where the person we originally wanted couldn’t make it. She stepped in and saved us!”

“Modern Family”

“Modern Family” season four airs Sundays, 8 p.m., on 2nd Avenue. The critically acclaimed sitcom stars Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Sofía Vergara, and Eric Stonestreet.

“Adventure Time”

Cartoon Network’s hit oddball comedy series “Adventure Time” follows the teenage-adventurer Finn and the shape-shifting dog Jake, defenders

of the bizarre Land of Ooo.

The show airs every Saturday at 9 p.m., and Sundays, 7 p.m.

Memory Laned

Some status updates.

Nov. 21. Read a friend's copy of The Death of Superman 20 years ago. Wow, two decades. Was into the art of Simon Bisley, Jim Lee, and Nick Manabat. My friend John and I hung out with aspiring comic book creators, a fun group that would eventually be called Pot Luck Productions. My Walkman played Tori Amos, Lightning Seeds, and Indigo Girls. I voted that year.

Nov. 23. Blam/Slaine. Future couple? Hmm.

Nov. 24. Have yet to move Multiply pics and posts. Less than a week left. Ugh.

Nov. 25. High school batchmate dropped by again, the second time within the month. Wonder if she has the same sob stories when visiting other former classmates.

Nov. 25. Infuriating day. Infuriating people.

Nov. 26. I imagine Buffy Summers, Sookie Stackhouse, Elena Gilbert, and Bella Swan forming a Vampire Lovers Anonymous, but it would probably take five minutes, maybe less, for their meeting to become a free-for-all.

Nov. 27. Print-screening old Multiply conversations.

Nov. 28. Been buying cheap Christmas-themed children's books at Book Sale. They remind me of the books I used to borrow at the school library decades ago. Great art, too.