SDCC Contest Entries - Better Late Than Never!
After finishing the San Diego Cobra Commander giveaway a few weeks ago I had promised to put up some of the entries. Then my work exploded and I forgot about it, but now I’ve finally gotten it together and can share some of the great entries (in a couple of posts). I’m not going to be posting everything, just the winners and a select few others. Thanks again to everyone who entered and I hope you enjoy these.
The Winner was David Anderson’s short story, which wasn’t really titled, but should be called, “The Things You See in Bars.”
Let me tell you about this guy I met the other day. Y’know, the things you see at bars…
So it was Friday night, and like any normal guy I decide to kick back a few. I go to a bar down on the Boulevard and D that I go to sometimes, and begin to wear in my seat. Now, I don’t go there too often, but I can still pick out an uncommon face if I look hard enough, and after giving this particular stranger a funny look for a good three minutes, I decided to slide over three seats next to him.
Now, I’m not one to randomly talk with strangers, but this guy seemed different. He looked deathly tired, and had deep rings under his eyes. His whole facial structure seemed distinctly normal, and his head was shaved bald. He greeted me with a smile and I responded in kind.“Hey man. You new around here? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.” I asked. He was obviously nervous and out of place, and I doubt my questioning helped. I was just trying to find a place to start.
“I suppose. Just passing through really. It’s been a while since I’ve been on my own.”
I looked down and noticed he was wearing military boots. The old black ones the US started wearing in the 80’s, not the new desert suede ones. He also had military grade blue BDU pants.
“Yeah? You just get out of the service?”
His eyes flinched a little. Not the desired effect. “Something like that. I’m starting a new life.” Now, I had been in the army, when I was younger, and I’d seen this before. This was a kid who just went AWOL from the military. He was running away. That’s why he was so nervous. I didn’t want to put any more pressure on him. To each their own, right? I wasn’t going to patronize the guy. I was going to give him his fare thee wells and go home, before he surprised me by speaking first. “I made a mistake. I got caught up in a cause I thought I believed in, a person I thought I believed in. I was young and dumb and now I’m running away. I won’t be on the wrong side anymore.”
I smiled a bit. “Good for you. Best of luck to you. It’ll all work out in the end, I say.”
He smiled back, and thrusted his hand forward. “I sure hope so.” I shook his hand. “Gotta take a leak, be right back.” He rose and started walking to the back.
As he went to the bathroom, I started thinking. These kids, who get caught up in the idealism of war, all the garbage politicians and the media fill your head with. So it’s not for him, so what? He’s just another face in the ranks. No one will care about it in the end. I had sat there for about 10 minutes, when a man came running out of the restroom. It wasn’t the kid. “Hey, Jim, call the cops! Some poor guys had his brains blown out all over the can!”
There was no doubt in my mind who he was talking about. My gut wrenched, I nearly threw up my beer. As my head raced, I caught a glimpse of a man in the back. He had a brown hood and deep shadows over his eyes. He locked eyes with me, gave me a glare that could kill a man. And then, he was off.
I sat there for a bit, as the cops came and hauled off my man of mystery. I thought there, for a moment, what possibly could he have been involved with to have something like this happen to him? Was it a gang? Or something worse? Maybe it was all just a coincidence. I don’t know. Y’know, the things you see at bars…
The runner-up was a favorite character piece by a Mr. Terry Ray Carmoney Jr. He ended up with a 25th Barbecue that was an extra of mine. I wish I was rich and I could have given out more runner-up prizes, but that’s how it goes.
“He’s the All-American Boy who got lost on the way to the fair and he’s simply trying to go home any which way he can. Most folks think they know who they are and where they’re going…They’re the dangerous ones!” (Footloose File Card, Larry Hama & Hasbro)
Andrew D. Meyers, A.K.A. FOOTLOOSE, is my favorite member of the G.I. Joe Team. To begin, his file card says it all; he’s the “All-American Boy,” like all of us boys who grew up fans of this great Hasbro franchise. The story of FOOTLOOSE is one of identity, of searching, and of being found. I relate all too well with being lost and trying to find my way home. In many ways, I embraced this state growing up. My Dad is a Vietnam veteran. I was born in 1975 at the Philadelphia Naval Station, now closed (also used as a Joe base in the first Devil’s Due Comic run). My Dad was not there that day and he would not be present much for the rest of my childhood. My parents, divided by the traumas of the Vietnam War, lies, cheating, and alcoholism, divorced when I was six. My heart broke that year and would not be mended for a long time. I guess as I got older I was looking for a good role model and even a hero, when I saw my first episode of the G.I. JOE animated series and opened up my first Marvel G.I. Joe Comic. I was hooked instantly. The real portrayal of these men and women from all walks of life coming together to save broken and innocent people from a dreadful enemy bent on taking away all they hold dear moved me deeply, and for the first time in my life I found hope.
Over the years, I followed G.I. Joe quite faithfully. FOOTLOOSE was the first good guy I collected, motivated by a Comic commercial I saw with he and FLINT going after TOMAX and XAMOT on a rollercoaster track. I also loved the comradery between FOOTLOOSE and DUSTY in the cartoon episode called “Hearts and Cannons.” This reminded me of the relationship between me and my younger brother
Michael, and DUSTY soon became his favorite character. In addition, FOOTLOOSE appeared in Issue 1 of G.I.Joe European Missions against them pesky Crimson Twins again. I was pleased to see a FOOTLOOSE figure released among the Direct-to-Consumer series and obtained one quickly. All I’m waiting for now is a 25th Anniversary figure to be made.
In conclusion, G.I. Joe was the introduction to hope, patriotism, and justice in my life, and I am sure many others who grew up in the 80’s can say the same. In an uncertain world, these attributes are constant. For myself, FOOTLOOSE was my first “Real American Hero.” From this character’s profile, I learned to understand myself and began to see the real life heroes around me. To this day, I am grateful to Hasbro and Larry Hama for making a sad kid happy and helping a lonely kid find a friend in FOOTLOOSE. Beware; I now know who I am and where I am going. Yo Joe…and “DUSTY, you’re deeply deluded dude!” (FOOTLOOSE quote from “Hearts and Cannons”)
Terry also wins the longest name I’ve ever seen award. Way to go Terry!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Yup, thats me! Kind of came up with it on a whim after reading about the contest. I’ve always loved the rank and file Cobra Soldiers, so I decided to weave a piece about one of them. I like to ground characters like these with an average man telling about them as to give the audience something to relate too. I was really thrilled to see it win. Thanks a bunch!
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I missed the winner on the first two passes. If the narrator was keen enough to recognize the era-issue boots, how could he not tell the rest? Brown hood??
September 24th, 2008 at 1:13 am
What do you mean exactly? Like, the Cobra emblems? Well, the soldier isn’t wearing the full get-up or anything, just what he needed to get by (he did say he was in the military back in the day.) I put those in as cues to the reader on who you’re looking at here, along with the average and common looking face. And the brown hood character shouldn’t be too hard to figure out, now
September 24th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
The cues to the reader privately say “Cobra” of course, but the narrator in the bar should be smart enough to realize “not US military.” Which of course, he was. He just makes the sudden uncomfortable switch from very perceptive well-informed guy, “black boots,” to a rather naive conclusion, “These kids. . .” Let’s try it a different way.
Some bleach blonde walks into a bar wearing a nurse fetish outfit, with white high-heel boots, little cap w/a red cross, lacy gloves, the whole bit.
I ask “Where you from?” She says, “I just got off shift in the ER.” However, I’m somewhat observant and think, “That’s not the standard uniform of a real ER nurse.” Then she gets up to go to the ladies room. Therefore, what do I conclude? That she really works in a hospital? If your character is observant enough to pick up the clues, then he’s smart enough to conclude something well outside just “the military.”
September 24th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
And I forgot to add that I have absolutely no clue which member of Cobra wears a brown hood. Honestly. . .no idea whatsoever.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
D’oh! Zartan (free agent/Dreadnoks) = “brown hood.” You got me. I’m letting this one go on my end. Congrats David!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Alright, it’s fairly obvious that you have some huge beef with my story, and I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I’d like to know how others felt, by the way.
Anyways, I am in the military (not long since out, like my character in this piece), and even I don’t recognize other uniforms neccesarily. Different branches have different uniforms, and it can vary greatly from branch to branch and especially country to country. My guy recognizes a guy who looks like he is in the military. Aside from the headgear, the Cobra soldier wears almost all 80’s issue US gear. If you see a guy at a bar dressed in the remanants of a military uniform, the first thing you will think of will not be super-secret international terrorist organization, but that he’s probably in some branch that you don’t recognize.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I think that the piece was damned good considering David had two weeks to write something.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
No beef. Just an objective logic thing is all. And of course, I clearly stated the narrator wouldn’t conclude “Cobra” in particular, but would at least be capable of deducing “not US military.”
Quote: “. . .but that he’s probably in some branch that you don’t recognize.”
Totally reaching there. Why would he brush off the unknown in such a casual manner?
Look. You got me on Zartan*, it’s your story, and it’s your win to boot. You got all the chips, so what else do you want from me?
You want me to stretch my willing suspension of disbelief in public? No problem. I’ll give you that too, but in name only, okay?
I just wanted to sincerely drop the issue without making former members of the military look stupid was all.
Just stop and think for a minute about what you’re asking me to do for pride’s sake alone.
I’m willing to believe former servicemen are smart enough to at least ask, “Really? What branch? What unit?” ;D
Thus, no beef. Plain and simple; just the opposite in fact.
But if you want me to cry uncle, fine with me too.
And yes Paul, I agree completely. It’s not my contest either.
-PJ
*Not like he usually takes his victim’s identity, but that’s beside the point.