I’m gonna come right out and say it. I love to use Victor in these comics. He’s an utter joy to write for. Not so much because he’s exceptionally witty, but because everything we’ve come to learn about him has been information delivered by the other characters. So, by extension, anything he’s capable of seems amplified to it’s worst conclusion by the audience because he has yet to be defined. Beyond his introduction, he hasn’t had one word of dialogue. If I could take that back, I would. He much more imposing as a mute. I get a kick setting him up against comic Tom.

Good for Fox Studios animation shingle for raking in over $70 million with Ice Age 2 last weekend, but I’m not impressed. I haven’t seen the sequel, but I saw the original and I thought it was a plodding, grating affair. Listening to John Leguizamo lisp for 90 minutes is something I can do without. I doubt the follow-up iimproves on this concept.

The success of Ice Age 2 is chalked up to every family who tossed their 5 year-old into the back seat of their minivan with that annoying flip-down television screen in the back. They made the first one, released it on DVD and now every time little Timmy won’t sit still in his car seat, now he has something to watch that will shut him up long enough for Mom to drive him to the grocery store. Rinse and repeat for the next three years until they make a sequel. Dump said sequel into the theaters and watch the 8 year-olds drag their parents kicking and screaming for more cloying adventures! Yay, money!

I know this makes me sound like a curmudgeon or anti-kids. Not the case. I love animation. I love illustration. I think that’s been proven in my choice of hobby. I have about 550 comics under my belt that can attest to that.

But this… Ice Age 2? Seems pretty soulless to me. Not much magic to it. I mean, honestly – can you think of ANY animated sequel besides Toy Story 2 that was able to enchant period? Nevermind that the first Ice Age was a rote exercise to begin with.

And Scrat? Don’t get me started on Scrat. What the hell is that thing? He’s in all the advertisements, but barely in the movie! That’s deceptive advertising, folks!

:: deep breath ::

That’s it for now. Come back to the site later in the day when I announce the winners of The Long Good Friday contest – which, by the way, is out on DVD today. So if you didn’t win a copy or were too lazy to enter, I strongly suggest that you look it up the next time you’re shopping. It’s a really great film.