Here's a question: What could possibly make a great comic book even better? Well, when it's being given away for free of course! That's exactly what fans have to look forward to this Saturday, May 1st when comic book stores across the country participate in Free Comic Book Day: The annual event that sets out to reward longtime readers as well as attract curious newcomers to what's currently going down with their favorite characters.

The 10^th annual Logjam! presented by the Big Stick Surfing Association took a stylish cross-step back in time last weekend, April 24-25, at the Dirt Farm and Pleasure Point on Santa Cruz’s Eastside. True to the  mantra of “old boards, no cords,” some 100 participants competed for two days on yellowed, 20-pound vintage longboards that were crafted prior to 1970.

The event was not so much a competition as a gathering of tribes, as surf clubs from up and down the coast met in appreciation of the roots, history and culture of California surfing. Mother Nature embraced the revival with summery offshore conditions that saw some intrepid surfers pull on their board shorts, while others kept their wetsuits zipped up snugly against spring-like water temperatures.

All right. I'm sure to catch hell for this, but I have to be honest: I can't stand Joss Whedon. I never got into Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, or ANY of that s...tuff (O.K. his run on the X-Men comic isn't bad). I don't know if I'm still bitter over his horrendous screenplay for Alien: Resurrection (I am) or what, but I am deeply bummed about the recent announcement that he is set to helm Marvel's Avengers movie.

Steve Caballero and his art show at The Abbey
Since the early 80’s Steve Caballero has been portraying his love of skateboarding through his contest results and video segments. The industry has rewarded him accordingly, Caballero was the first skater in history to get a signature pro deck in 1980 through Powell Peralta who has been distributing his pro model skateboards at a feverish rate. Steve was also the first skater in history to get a signature pro skate shoe with Van Shoes producing the Half Cab since 1989. He was also named "Skater of the Century" by Thrasher Magazine! Caballero broke into music in 1982-1985 with The Faction and then a series of other bands in order Odd Man Out, Shovelhead and Soda. Known for his skating, music, product endorsements and Christian influence on the people he comes in contact with, sometimes the incredible artistic ability that Caballero possesses is overlooked.

Well, here we go again. Out of the ashes of the recently wrapped Blackest Night comes the next phase in the evolution of the DC universe: Brightest Day. And like that blockbuster 8 issue series, this new one promises even more shocking revelations and landmark events as Geoff Johns continues to take the company places it's never been before.

Plus tips on how to book an in-store at Streetlight Records
Just like cassette tapes are the new vinyl, your local record store is the new iTunes. Gone is the thrill of click, click, clicking away in a dark room to find new music, we’ve seen the light and it is shining through the windows of a real live record store.

Anyone who has ever stepped foot into the musical safe haven that is our own Streetlight Records will immediately recognize that this isn’t Walmart. There are no corporate sponsorships, no major labels controlling the overhead sound system, the staff is not forced to wear uniforms (unless you count the tattoos)—this is a real record store.

With Shaun White recently winning his second Olympic Gold medal in Snowboarding, Mavericks spinning up 60 foot waves and the Mega Ramp X-Game contests that go down, how much more can action sport athletes push the limits? Let’s take the Shaun White … his sponsors built him a private half pipe (dubbed project x) in the middle of nowhere for him to practice his double McTwist into foam pits. Whether its X-Games or the Olympics Shaun White appears unstoppable … or is he? Mavericks this winter provided some of the biggest waves ever for a paddle in contest.

So it's a week later and if the finale to Blackest Night last Wednesday wasn't amazing enough, the nerd hangover from Wondercon is still pounding pretty hard. Overall, I have to say that this year may have been the best ever with so many incredible names showing up to meet and chat up the fans (That's me with DC Chief Creative Officer and overall bad-ass Geoff Johns!).

It wasn't so much about the panels this time without a Watchmen or Star Trek sized flick to look forward to in the coming months. Nope, this year was all about running around artist's alley and snagging as many signatures as I could (which turned out to be a lot more than I'd hoped for!).