Can I call this an award winning site now?

Jim Phoel of the Draconic Verses blog just nominated the Spotlight for something called the “Liebster Award”. I can’t find an origin for this, but apparently it’s for sites withunder 200 readers. Sadly my numbers have dropped to make this possible, or the recent changes in WordPress.com’s stat meter is more accurate. At any rate I’d like to thank Mr. Phoel for the honor. But hold up! Apparently to full accept there are certain requirements.

• Post the award image above. Obviously done.
• Post 11 random facts.
• Answer his 11 questions.
• Find 11 sites to nominate.
• Prepare 11 questions for them.

So guess what we’re doing tonight, folks.

Lets start with his questions:

1. What’s your favorite genre of movie?: Much like everything else, I tend to lean towards sci-fi and superheroes but I tend to go to the more lighthearted side. I think that’s why I still watch more kids show than “adult” shows. Kids shows are more fun.
2. What’s the most recent B/W movie you’ve seen?: Not counting a Rifftrax of Plan 9 From Outer Space, I guess it would be the original Metropolis. A great movie even without sound.
3. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?: A single character? Probably not. I seldom rank my interests.
4. If you could summon one dead historical/famous figure, who would you call on?: I have this issue with necromancy but in the spirit (no pun intended) of the question it would depend on who I would most want to interview at the time.
5. Mac or PC?: PC. It’s what I know.
6. What film have you seen the most times, and do you know how many times you saw it?: I watch and read so much stuff I couldn’t even begin to figure this one out.
7. Favorite sports team?: I don’t really follow sports.
8. Favorite board game?: I used to have a Pac-Man board game but I gave it to my cousin. I never had anyone to play board games with and I was such a stickler to playing by the game rules I don’t think anyone would want to play with me. 🙂 I’m all for making up a new game, but then why are you playing an old one?
9. Ever sang karaoke in public?: Once, and only because they kept butchering one of my favorite songs so much I felt the need to have someone do it right. (And no, I don’t remember which one)
10. Who would portray you best in the story of your life? (living or dead actor/actress): I want to say Wil Weaton, but I don’t know how he’d handle my social/political/spiritual views. Besides, I want my life story done animated, with a cute robot sidekick.
11. What TV theme song can you NEVER get out of your head?: One? I have more old TV theme songs in my head than YouTube!

So, step 2 of 3 (or 3 of 4 if you count the award image) is to list 11 facts about myself. So here we go with that.

1. When I was a kid comics and cartoons were my escape from bullying and uncaring teachers. I want to bring that escapism, and the belief of a” happier” world, to kids and kids at heart. I chose comics because I have more personal control than a cartoon, where I would need a bunch of voice actors who would (understandably) bring their own interpretations to a character.
2. However, for some projects I admit that my style won’t properly bring about the feeling I’m looking for, so I will need to find an artist who can. That will be tougher for some of my darker ideas. (Of course “darker” in this case is relative.)
3. I have an idea for every crossover I want to do with my colleagues on the video review side, but I need to find the time to actually develop a presence in that arena to get them to do it.
4. Speaking of the videos, now that my editor doesn’t crash nearly as often I find editing isn’t that bad. It’s still my least favorite part outside of flubbing lines and I enjoy writing articles more, but videos offer me an interesting outlet for the Spotlight’s goals.
5. And speaking of crossovers, or rather team-ups, I would love to do something with BW Virtual Mentor Jerzy Drozd, which knowing us would involve Transformers or He-Man or something. I have more developing to do, though.
6. I don’t actually hate my artwork, writings, or even my videos. They need improvement but if I really thought they sucked I wouldn’t post them. I’ve just gotten used to self-deprecating humor.
7. In 2007 I was diagnosed (after the first of two hospital trips during the Spring for inflammation) with Crohn’s disease. Basically my immune system thinks food being digested is an invader and attacks it. At the least I don’t get all the nutrition I should. At worse: damaged intestines leading to other problems. Luckily the area where I have it is easily managed, barring the occasional flare-up. Still means I spend too much time in the rest room.
8. I love cheesecake, even if it’s too rich for me to have as much as I used to (see previous factoid). One time my dad and I polished off an entire cheesecake in one day. Because my mom is a good cook and grandma had the best recipe.
9. Transformers are the only thing born in my childhood that still exist. Sadly not unscathed thanks to the Bay films and what IDW is doing to them but for the most part the toys only get better. While I still think the GoBots get a bad rep, Transformers is still my favorite fiction. Although if you ask me what the best toyline ever is, I’d say Lego.
10. I have yet to see a Godzilla movie that I hate. Yes, even Godzilla’s Revenge“. Yes, even the 90’s “GINO/Zilla”, although I don’t consider it a Godzilla flick. I was disappointed when Final Wars didn’t take the opportunity to fix him rather than give him the “live-action Scrappy-Doo” treatment.
11. Much of my creativity in writing comes from commercial breaks and serials where I would try to imagine what would happen next. Much of my creativity in other areas come from my parents.

Up next: nominate 11 other sites. Now, I don’t know if they have more than 200 followers so you’re on the honor system, guys. Based on the peeps I follow I’m looking for sites with a high article content, rather than just videos, comics. or podcasts and they still have to be active, which sadly leaves out Comic Coverage. Some of these are in the blogroll, by the way.

1. Dinosaur Dracula: The spiritual successor to X-Entertainment, the first blog I started reading regularly–until he stopped posting for a long time. Then he came back, and then he formed Dinosaur Dracula. Matt has a knack for finding bizarre things and bits of nostalgia time almost forgot.
2. Slay Monstrobot of the Deep: One of my fellow Friday Night Fighters, but along with Comic Coverage and the next two blogs it was one of the first blogs that got me into comic blogs and led to the creation of the Spotlight. Snell’s site has a lot of pointing out the stupidity of today’s writers and editors while pointing out the bizzareness of yesterday’s comics and advertisements.
3. Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery: The second in our series, Siskoid likes to talk about geeky things, mostly Star Trek and Doctor Who as well as RPGs, martial arts flicks, and cats.
4. Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!: And who am I to argue with a little stuffed bull? He’s the last of the group of four that led me to becoming a blogger. Everyone else I discovered after the fact.
5. The Four Color Media Monitor: While not part of the quartet, it’s also had some influence on the Spotlight. Avi Green’s site is less about humor and more about taking the comics industry to task for everything it does wrong. Still interesting.
6. The Retroist: One of the three counting, Dinosaur Dracula, retro sites on this list. The contributors find some really fascinating pop culture history as well as put together podcasts discussing forgotten and fondly remembered classics.
7. Branded In the 80’s: Our final retro site, Sean Robare tracks down fun stuff from the 1980s and the occasional neighboring years.
8. Carl’s Comics: I’d say this lies somewhere between Slay Monstrobot and Four Color Media Monitor in tone.
9. Spacebooger: I’m using the rest to give some props to the remaining fellow Friday Night Fighters as of this writing. Spacebooger not only puts out a weekly comic but is our Master of Ceremonies for the Friday Night Fights so if you want to join us check his site every Tuesday.
10. Hero Sandwich:  Primarily a source of comic reviews and other superhero-related material.
11. Stars & Garters: As long as we don’t talk politics and social issues we get along fantastically, and even then we can have an open discussion without pitchforks being brought out.

And last but not least, if the above are under 200 readers and want to accept the award they have to do the above and answer the 11 questions I came up with. I hope I made them interesting.

1. Besides the stock answer original, what was the best Godzilla movie in your opinion, and is it also your favorite? (Yes, there’s a difference.)
2. What’s your favorite movie?
3. Your favorite book?
4. Favorite TV show past or present?
5. Favorite comic series past or present?
6. Favorite video game (and yes we’ll stop here with that)
7. If you could witness one major or minor event in history, what would it be?
8. If you had a “bucket list” what would be in it?
9. How do you want to be remembered when you leave this mortal plane?
10. Who is/was the biggest influence on your life and work?
11. How long would you last on American Ninja Warrior?

And with that I have completed all the requisites of the Liebster Awards, even if I don’t know where it came from. My thanks again to Jim Phoel for bestowing this honor upon the Spotlight.