The Good Life – March-April 2014

3

The staff at Würst Bier Hall won’t
serve their beer in just any pint
glass and call it good. With their
lineup of more than 30 beers on
tap, each one calls for a specific
beer glass to showcase the flavors
and look of the beer the way
the brewer intended it. General
Manager, Andrea Williams, filled
The Good Life in about eight beer
glasses and their purposes behind
the bar.
STEIN
FLUTE
PILSNER
Hefeweizen vase
This stein made of
glass is a dimpled
mug that goes with
the German theme
at the Würst Bier
Hall. This sturdy
and easy to hold
glass is reserved for
traditional German
beers like Bocks or
lagers. The heaviest
body beer served in
this style glass may
be a porter.
2
This flute is made
by the brewery
specifically to
serve the Ayinger
Celebrator
Doppelbock beer.
Flutes are reserved
for sweeter and
more delicate
beers. This double
bock is a dark, but
sweeter beer with a
6.7 percent ABV, so
it’s a lower level of
alcohol content for
the style.
This Hefeweizen
vase is made
specifically for the
Hefeweizen style
of beer. The tall
and flared shape
is going to release
aroma and keep the
head tight and held
up throughout the
whole beer.
The tall flared shape
of a pilsner glass
helps maintain
the head while
capturing the colors.
When drinking a
Pilsner, if the thick
dense head slips up
it’s going to taste
better when you’re
drinking it. Even
though a Pilsner is a
more earthy hopped
beer, it ends up
tasting lighter, has a
higher carbonation
and generally is
smoother.

By: Jessica Jasperson | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
TULIP
CHALICE
Snifter
Lindeman’s beer flute glass
This flute is made
for Lindeman’s
Kriek, which is a
lambic ale. Lambic
ales are fruity, and
this one in particular
is a Belgian cherry
beer. A flute glass
creates an elegance
that showcases
the rose color and
carbonation of
the beer.
This stemmed glass
receives its name
for resembling a
tulip shape. The top
of the glass pushes
out to form a lip in
order to capture the
head and amplify
the aroma of a beer.
Double IPAs, Belgian
style tripels and
other aromatic craft
beers are served
perfectly in a
tulip glass.
A chalice will
always have good
weight, thick wall,
hefty base and a
wide bowl to allow
the beer’s entire
aroma to fill the
surrounding area.
Belgian style ales
such as Dubbels and
Quads are served in
a Chalice.
An everyday Snifter
is reserved for
higher ABV beers
that are stronger
in flavor such as
Imperial stouts. The
smaller glass allows
control over serving
sizes. The wider
part of the glass
focuses aromas and
helps with head
retention, which
overall captures and
enhances the aroma
of a craft beer.
3

INSIDE
THIS
MARCH-APRIL 2014
ISSUE
VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 5
IN EVERY ISSUE
30
LOCAL HERO
BRYAN KUTTER
Sniper Cuts Military Career Short
06
FATHERS:
STORIES FOR DADS
You Can Be a Good Dad Even in
Tough Situations
ON THE COVER
OFF THE WALL
09
Four Local Artists Take
Their Work to the Streets

ARTICLES
ALL BEERS AREN’T MEANT FOR A
02
PINT GLASS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Dawn Siewert
dawn@urbantoadmedia.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Darren Losee
darren@urbantoadmedia.com
08
IT’S JUST A STAGE:
Stereotypical Dates Illustrate Different Points in Life
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Soo Asheim
Jessica Ballou
Meghan Feir
Paul Hankel
Jessica Jasperson
Alicia Underlee Nelson
5 REASONS YOU SHOULD PROBABLY
18
LOOK INTO BUILDING A RAT ROD
A Fun and Affordable Way to Build Your Own Street Monster
PUBLISHED BY
Urban Toad Media LLP
www.urbantoadmedia.com
/urbantoadmedia
READ AN ISSUE ONLINE:
issuu.com/thegoodlifemensmag
ADVERTISING SUBMISSIONS
Urban Toad Media LLP
624 Main Avenue, Suite 7
Fargo, ND 58103
701-388-4506 | 701-261-9139
PARADOX COMICS-N-CARDS: HELPING
22
YOU GET YOUR GEEK ON SINCE 1993
A Visit and Sit Down with Paradox’s Owner, Richard Early
26
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT
Marksmanship Center Aims at Education, Safety
The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six
times a year by Urban Toad Media LLP. Material
may not be reproduced without permission. The
Good Life Men’s Magazine accepts no liability
for reader dissatisfaction arising from content
in this publication. The opinions expressed, or
advice given, are the views of individual writers or
advertisers and do not necessarily represent the
views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine.

FATHERS
You Can Be a Good Dad
Even in Tough Situations
By: CAREY CASEY | WWW.FATHERS.COM
A while back, I was talking about
Championship Fathering on a radio
program. I told my stories about the
importance of loving, coaching, and
modeling for your kids, encouraging
other kids, and Enlisting more dads
to join the team.
After the program a dad wrote
to me and said, “How can someone
be a ‘Championship Father’ when
the system and the mother won’t let
him?”
For a growing number of dads
today, this dad’s question is the only
one that matters because they don’t
have access to their kids; they don’t
have opportunities to be the dads
they want to be.
I don’t fully understand how dads
feel when they’re shut out from the
lives of their children, but I do hurt
for them.
In today’s culture it’s easy to lump
all non-custodial dads together. We
talk about custody battles and child
support and we forget that these
are individual dads who love their
children and are fighting for the
chance to be involved fathers. That’s
real, and it’s a tragic consequence of
the divorce culture that we live in.
The impact on children is even more
tragic.
These dads already know there
are no easy solutions, but they don’t
give up calling attention to their
challenges and the injustice they feel.
If you can relate to this situation,
I hope you’ll keep reading, because
I want to offer three pieces of
encouragement that can apply to
whatever fathering challenges you
may be facing:
6
First, focus on your long-term
commitment to your child. That will
help to see you through daily ups and
downs or even major roadblocks to
your fathering.
One dad we know was separated
from his three kids by a very bitter
divorce when they were school aged.
Barred from direct contact with
his kids and faced with parental
alienation, he remained steadfast
in his attempts to connect with
his children. His oldest daughter
eventually sought contact and moved
in with him when she was able to do
so independently. Just a few months
ago, after seven years of separation,
his son expressed a desire to connect
and re-establish a relationship.
No one wants to go through
something like that, but some dads
do, and an unwavering, steadfast
commitment will a huge factor in
making the best of it.
Second, find ways to keep
practicing the fundamentals of
Championship Fathering. I do believe
in the validity of the research behind
loving, coaching and modeling, and
I know they can make a difference for
you. Every dad needs to soak these in,
practice them, and make them part of
his skill set. These fundamentals can
be creatively applied to just about
any situation.
Years ago, one dad worked on a
submarine for 90 days at a time, and
he had to cut off all communication.
That was a huge fathering challenge.
So ahead of time, he wrote postcards
to his children for every day of his
trip, then had a friend drop them
in the mail every day. So his kids
had messages just about every day
from their dad, and they felt special
that he thought enough to do that.
He adjusted his fathering for his
situation, and found ways to be
effective despite his challenges.
So what about the dad who
doesn’t have access to his children
because of divorce and his custody
agreement? That dad will have to live
out loving, coaching, and modeling
in different ways from other dads.
For example, if loving the child’s
mother isn’t part of the equation,
that dad can at least work on
respecting her, cooperating with
her, and giving his children access
to other people who are modeling
healthy relationships. Maybe the best
coaching you do is through email
and texts.
If you aren’t able to be an everyday
role model for your kids, keep doing
what’s right in your work and other
areas of your life, and do all you can
to stay positive with your kids. Trust
that your high character and poise
will make a difference in the long run,
and that through the months and
years your children will notice and
appreciate how you carried yourself
despite horrible circumstances.
Those are just a few examples. You
may face a challenge of different a
kind, and you can find ways to make
the principles work. That goes for
active duty dads, stepdads, dads who
travel a lot, dads in prison, and so on.
Loving an infant is much different
from loving a 12-year-old. Coaching a
daughter will likely require a different
approach than that involvement and
insight with a son.

If you want more specific tips
for applying loving, coaching, and
modeling, you’ll find some on our
website.
Finally, I encourage you to get
together with other dads in your
situation.
You may be a divorced dad, a
single dad, an adoptive dad, stepdad,
traveling dad. You may be very busy.
I know there are dads out there like
me that struggle in this area at times,
trying to find a balance. Find a dad
who’s a step or two further along, and
ask him, “What’s working for you?”
“What have you learned?” “What’s
the best way you show consistency
for your children?”
Dad, no matter what, don’t let
frustration get the best of you. Other
dads in your situation have found
ways to stay connected with their
kids. You can do it too.
Action Points for Dads on the Fathering Journey
• Write a letter to your child where you share about a
significant memory from your life and an important lesson you
learned from it.
• In whatever situation you’re in, communicate unconditional
love and blessing to your child — through letters, emails or texts, or
verbally. Say, “I love you for who you are, no matter what happens
or how often we get to catch up with each other.” Tell him often
that he’s special to you.
• When you are with your kids, make as many deposits
into their “emotional bank accounts” as you can, since time apart
gradually drains that account.
• Are you denied access to your children? It may be that you
could see them more by getting involved at their school. (Check out
our WATCH D.O.G.S. program for one great way to do this.)
• Does your child use social networking websites and apps?
Join in and learn about those, and use them as a way to connect,
especially when you’re apart.
• If you’re in a challenging fathering situation, try to maintain
healthy routines with your kids — but also allow some flexibility. Be
very understanding when they don’t handle the challenges in the
same way you do.
7

By: meghan feir
Just as Frank Sinatra goes through life in the song “It
Was A Very Good Year” – how he went from being 21 and
dating city girls with perfumed hair to being 35 and going
for blue-blooded girls of independent means – dates can
change flavor over time. Perhaps one of these intensely
stereotyped stages fit your current situation.
For the half-boy, half-man
Okay, so you’re not quite a kid, but not yet an adult,
in a sense or more. It was hard to choose between playing
video games and hanging out with an attractive woman,
but you decided it was time for a change of pace. A date it
is! (Or is it?)
If one or both of you are bad conversationalists, do an
activity, or go to a movie, like so many conventional dates
of the 20th century. Fill your mouth with popcorn, instead
of words. If you proceed to go on other dates, talking
will be necessary, at some point. If you tend to draw a
blank, ask questions about the other person, even if the
only question that pops into your head is why she chose
blue nail polish and not pink. (Hey, it’s something.) You
should also consider taking her to the Fryn’ Pan Family
Restaurant on Main Avenue anytime after 10 p.m.
Stuck in the middle class with you
Save your money and go to The Olive Garden. If it’s
your birthday, go to Paradiso. Wear nice pants, a collared
shirt and comb your hair. Offer to pick her up, especially
if the roads are icy. If she says she can drive herself, okay.
Order chicken alfredo. You’ve tried it before, and it was
pretty good.
As a fine middle-classer, you’re more grounded and
down to earth than some of your counterparts. You don’t
immediately assume people are using you, and you no
8
longer live in your parents’ basement – two winning
features that can help you rest easy at night.
My piece of advice for you: Don’t be afraid to try
something out of the ordinary – your ordinary. Go out
for some sushi; go on a picnic; pretend you’re more
romantic of a man than you’ve ever considered yourself
to be, which may inspire unique ideas, like composing yet
another variation of the “Roses are red/ Violets are blue”
poem.
The man with more than one suit in his closet
If you’re considered “successful” in the eyes of society
because you’re making bank and wear a suit every day to
the office, you should consider bringing this class to the
dating field. Your father taught you that women are only
after one thing – your money – so, instead of your heart,
wear money on your sleeves. Due to the copious number
of jokes, memes and Ecards found on the Interwebs
dealing with women and wine, it’s probable that many
females (excluding me) would enjoy an expensive bottle
of the substance. If there’s a vineyard anywhere in the
area, take her there. You can pretend you’re 18 percent
Italian, which will increase your appeal.
If you’re a combination of these three groupings,
whatever – you’re on your own.
In all seriousness, if you’re interested in someone, go
for it. Ask them on a date. “Just do it,” as Nike would tell
you. Don’t wait for months or years because someone else
will probably come along while you’re still contemplating
if it’s worth the effort and risk of potential pain. Prevent
regret.
If you are unsure of what she would like to do and
where she would like to go, discuss the possibilities with
her. A novel idea, I know.

Four Local Artists Take
Their Work To The Streets
By: Alicia Underlee Nelson | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Some of the most interesting art in the region isn’t hanging on a wall. Although you
can find work by Scotch “Noel” Anderson, Beau Fraase, Eric A. Johnson and Punchgut in
galleries and museums across the Red River Valley, these guys believe in knocking art off its pedestal
and into people’s faces. You’ll find their designs emblazoned on T-shirts, on that gig poster that catches your
eye at the coffee shop, at street fairs and studio tours, in underground art zines, on Etsy, in the pages of
your local paper and even on the dumpster behind your favorite bar. Here’s what makes them tick.
9

10

Noel “Scotch” Anderson’s cartoony style (which he said is “sandwiched
somewhere between old Warner Brothers’ animation, Mad magazine, and the
underground comics of the sixties and seventies”) is a gleeful mash-up inspired
by everything he loves – B movies, action figures, “straight-to-VHS 80s classics”,
comic books and humor magazines. “Seems the more pop culture garbage I
have to look at, the more I feel the need to create and put out my own special
brand of debauchery into the world,” said Anderson.
And create he has. Anderson’s paintings and pen and ink comics, combined
with his wit and multitasking skills have earned him a career that’s as multifaceted
as he is. When he’s not working on his latest creations in the basement studio
of the Hawley home he shares with his wife and kids, he’s either the air on
Rock 102, regaling readers with his
own unique blend of art and satire on
his website, goofroof.com, or cranking
out clever takes on the headlines
for his gig at The Forum. He’s been
a regular contributor to Cracked
Magazine and Hustler in the past and
last year he created his own magazine,
the happily low-tech zine Art Riot,
which he manages with fellow artist
Beau Fraase.
“We felt there was really a need for
an underground art magazine in Fargo
and so we knuckled down and found
some other like-minded artists and
made it happen,” said Anderson. “We
have a really talented arts community
in Fargo and if you can show young
people that that’s something to be
valued, they may take interest in it
themselves and contribute something
to the culture. I think that’s a lot more
important than them being raised
thinking that vapid, soulless, celebrities
like the Kardashians, who contribute
absolutely nothing of artistic value, are
to be emulated.”
The pay-off for creating something
new is its own reward, says Anderson.
“The good life for me is knowing that my
art is getting seen and that quite possibly
it is putting a smile on somebody’s face,
if even for just a few seconds.”
11

12

Graphic designer Beau Fraase’s work is everywhere – but you might not know its
his. And he’s okay with that. “Most of it is throw-away, pop culture art that hangs in
barrooms, is printed on T-shirts, or posted on the Internet,” he said. “When it works,
it makes you want to see a band, feel cool in your clothes, or at least gives you a
chuckle.”
Fraase, who’s operated Boneskot Design Co. in Fargo with Scott Syverson since
2006, has been creating for as long as he can remember. “I was the kid in the back of
the class drawing pictures of the teacher to make my friends laugh,” he said.
Now the Fargo resident creates images and branding campaigns for Boneskot
Design Co. customers as well as gigposters, CD designs and other branding elements
for local bands and performers like local favorites October Road and 24SEVEN.
Although his style shifts to accommodate his clients’ needs, combining graphic punch
with a distressed or gritty element for contrast is
a Beau Fraase signature.
He’s already living his own version of the
good life, which is “to make enough of a living
doing what you love so that you don’t have to do
anything else. And being good enough at it so
that others don’t tell you what to create — they
want what you do.”
With a thriving business under his belt,
Fraase is especially excited to introduce local art
fans to emerging artists on the pages of Art Riot.
“I believe supporting your local arts is
important because they are the benchmarks
of local culture. They record (and sometimes
question) the thoughts, feelings, and happenings
of your area for a point in time,” he said. “As a
society we’ve heard the top 40 pop tunes, seen
enough reality show reruns, and bought enough
Tapout shirts — see what’s out there locally.”
13

14

Printmaker Eric A. Johnson’s work is instantly recognizable as his. His
prints pulse with energy, motion and Johnson’s characteristic use of vivid
color. Making them requires painstaking attention to detail.
Johnson uses the reductive relief printmaking method, made famous by
Picasso in the 50s. He knows printmaking is a mystery to most non-artists, so
the educator (who is an adjunct professor at NDSU, Mayville State University
and Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Detroit Lakes and
Wadena and also serves an Artist Development Residency at NDSU) is used to
telling people how the process works.
“This method uses one block to print a multicolored image instead of
using one block for each color,” he continued. “The first color is printed from
the largest area of the block. After printing a color, the area of the print that is
intended to stay that color must be cut from the block. As the image develops,
the block is reduced with each cutting.”
The process requires patience and planning, but the results are worth
the effort. Johnson’s colorful trees and swirling cityscapes are favorites with
national and international buyers and corporate collections, but he also sells
other types of prints and smaller items like magnets and cards on Etsy.com
(under the shop name EAJarts) and at Gallery 4 in downtown Fargo so that
anybody can purchase his work, no matter their budget.
When he’s not teaching or hanging out with his wife Dera and their kids
at home in Hillsboro, ND home, you can find him in his studio space in
the Printmaking Education and Research Studio (or PEARS) at NDSU’s
Renaissance Hall in downtown Fargo.
Johnson is a fierce advocate for the arts and art education and he’s happy
to discuss his work with anyone who’s curious.
“I think for me the ‘good life’ is being able to continue to make art,” said
Johnson. “It’s rewarding for me to see something go from a sketch or marks on
a plate to something that is on the wall in a gallery or in someone’s home in a
frame. It’s almost as much fun for me to see what people think of my work as
it is making it.”
15

16

Punchgut
Punchgut cut his teeth on screenprinted gig posters and
they helped make his name. His posters for acts like Lucinda
Williams, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings and Queens of the
Stone Age are collector favorites on his website, punchgut.com,
and they landed him in the pages of “The Art of Modern Rock:
The Poster Explosion”, which is basically the gigposter hall of
fame.
He hasn’t left screenprinting behind, but these days the
Fargo artist is flirting with other media, from pencil sketches,
stickers and T-shirts to spray paint applied to interesting pieces
of salvaged wood and tin that catch his eye. He even painted a
dumpster as part of a public art installation last fall.
His inspiration is similarly eclectic. “Inspiration can come
from everything and anything,” said Punchgut. “A clip from
a movie, a line from a song, a shadow on a passing train or
a middle finger from a passing car….anything can spark an
image. I try and take notes on my phone as soon as they pop
into my head because they can quickly be replaced by taco
daydreams.”
No matter the media, Punchgut’s work almost always
combines dreaminess and darkness. Even his most quiet and
reflective pieces — the ones inspired by his children or the
North Fargo neighborhood where he works and lives with his
family — aren’t immune to this effect, so even his images of
softly falling snow or an ocean of prairie sky have a just a hint
of menace about them.
This dichotomy is essential to Punchgut’s work and to his
definition of the good life. “I always try and break things down
to the basics, have more good times than bad times with people
you love. That’s really all it is. Enjoy what you do with people
you enjoy,” he said, shrugging off the philosophical question
with characteristic Punchgut aplomb. “I’m a simpleton.”
One of the simple pleasures he recommends is to support
local artists. “We have our house filled with great local pieces
that brighten my day,” he said. “So it’s important to support
local artists so you can show your out-of-state friends they are
not sooooo cool and we DO NOT buy art from gas stations.”
Words to live by.
17

By: PAUL HANKEL | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
movement began in the mid to
late 1950’s. It was a movement
based off of one question:
How could someone build a
fast, customized car, without having
to come up with lots of cash in order
to do so? The answer: by building
a car from, basically, whatever was
laying around the shop, scrap yard or,
even, the side of the road.
According to Mark Schefter, a
local rat rodder who began building
rat rods in 1975, “You put whatever
you have together. For example, one
of my first rides had lawn chairs for
18
seats.” In other words, it’s not about
the cost, it’s about having fun with
the creative process and coming up
with the wildest ideas you can.
In a show of true American
ingenuity and resourcefulness, car
lovers began simply piecing together
cars from parts that they could find
almost anywhere or by building the
needed parts themselves. The result
was the creation of a whole new
genre of cars called rat rods.
The name, ‘rat rods,’ means
pretty much just what it sounds
like. Custom built cars that are built
without aesthetics in mind. The
engine may be from a truck, while
the frame may come from a salvaged
street racer from the 1970’s. It’s about
total customization, without the
constraints of cost and social norms.
Rat rodding has gained more and
more of a following over the years.
With the cost of buying, driving and
maintaining a car continuing to go
up, car enthusiasts with the desire
to build their own cars continue to
look for cheaper ways of doing so.
Building a rat rod is becoming one of
the most popular options.

The Good Life stopped by the
shop of Mark Schefter and some
other local rat rodders to see just
what building a rat rod was all about.
We came up with five reasons that
you need to check this hobby out.
#1. It’s a Chance to be Creative
and ‘Manly’, at the same time.
Let’s be clear, building a rat ride
is just about the furthest things from
knitting or pottery that you can do.
It’s about busting out the blowtorch
and making your vision of a
completely custom car a reality. “You
can put together your car however
you want,” said Haybale, who’s been
building rods since 1971. “You don’t
have to be politically correct. You just
mix and match parts, make sure your
cars safe, and you’re all set.”
According to the guys, rat rodding
isn’t just confined to car, either.
Motorcycles and trucks are just as easy
to cheaply customize as car. “That’s
getting to be a big thing too, now.”
Said Kenny J, a rat rod enthusiast
since the late 1950’s. “I’ve seen some
bobbers being made out of 350
Hondas and lots of things. When you
go to these car shows, you’ll see some
pretty wild stuff.”
Rat Rod cars typically consist of
a frame and spare parts, most likely
salvaged from a scrap yard or car
auction. All you need, according to
the guys, is a few dollars for the parts,
some tools and creativity. Rat rods
have been made using parts from
tractors, busses, decommissioned
race cars and even lawnmower parts.
#2. It’s not as Expensive as You
Think.
One of the most glaring
differences between building a rat rod
and what most people would consider
more ‘traditional’ car restorations is
the cost. Instead of plunking down
19

20
hundreds, sometimes thousands of
dollars for club dues, car parts and a
paint job, all a one needs in order to
make their own rat rod is a car frame,
tools and an imagination. According
to Kenny J, “There’s no washing your
car, or maintenance. You can mix and
match [parts] and, as long as it’s safe,
you’re good to go!” Kenny J has been
customizing rat rods since 1958.
“It’s something we’ve always enjoyed
doing.”
#3. It’s Not a Car Club.
“We aren’t a club,” said Schefter.
Instead, the term ‘rat rods,’ serves
more as a theme or backdrop for
anyone who wants to build a car from
outside the traditional process of
custom car building. Over the years,
rat rodders have, sort of, found each
other and built their cars together.
There aren’t any club meetings,
monthly newsletters or charity rides.
Instead, there’s a, “loose consortium,”
of guys who want to build an awesome
custom car, on a budget.
#4. Rat Rods are Unique and offer
Owners the Chance to Express
themselves.

“The weirdest thing is, we will go
to a car show and there could be a
million dollar car sitting there, and
people won’t even pay attention to
it. They wanna see the $600 rat rod,
because it’s special and they’ve never
seen anything like it.” said Schefter.
America’s eye has, traditionally,
been drawn to the flashier side of
things. The biggest houses, the nicest
clothes, the most expensive cars,
and the newest gadget always seem
to get the most attention. That is…
except in the case of rat rods. In this
case, spectators are drawn to the
uniqueness, ingenuity and creativity
used to, literally, weld, bolt and piece
a fully functional car together using
old spare parts.
#5. Building a Rat Rod is a Passion
Project, with No Time Limit.
According to the local rat
rodders we talked to, you can take
a year or two to build your ride, or
if you had to, you could piece one
together in a few weeks. It’s about
building your car, how you want it,
at your pace.
As time goes on and the cost
of everyday hobbies continues
to go up, people will continue to
find cheap and easy ways to do the
things that they love. Rat rodding
is a perfect example this. You don’t
need money, membership, or a
leather jacket saying that your part
of something. Living the good life
according to Mark, Kenny J, and
Haybale, means doing what they
love. And what they love to do
is build sweet custom rides on a
shoestring budget and at their pace.
So, since a rat rod is built out of
a collection of spare parts, one could
think of it as the ultimate ‘collector’
car. Do ya see what I did there?....
21

W
hen Richard Early
started Paradox
Comics in 1993, he had
no idea his once-small
game and comic book store, tucked
away off Broadway, would turn into
a local ‘Mecca’ for local comic fans
and gamers. The Good Life stopped
by Paradox, located at 26 Roberts
Street North, in Fargo, to check things
out and to see how Early turned his
passion for comics into a successful
business.
Good Life (GL): How did you get into
comic books and collecting?
Richard Early (RE): I’ve been into
comic books since I was about 5 years
old. I also got into lots of different
role playing games and things in high
school. Then, in the early eighties,
the industry was booming and it,
eventually, became something I
stumbled into doing as a job.
GL: Do you have a favorite comic book
character or hero?
22

RE: When I was growing up, The X-Men were the ultimate comics. This was
even before The X-Men were a huge franchise. When I started reading them,
there was actually only one X-Men comic book series being published.
Early went on to explain that the Marvel comics are often the most
appealing to younger readers, due to their realism, while DC Universe
is more of a fantasy universe and more popular with teenage and adult
readers.
GL: Has there always been a strong fan base of comic book and gaming fans in this area?
RE: When I opened in 1993, I was, unofficially, the sixth comic book shop in Fargo-Moorhead. Now, there
are only two shops, but we do pretty well. Most readers, nowadays, are reading comics as a hobby and
they want to collect them as well.
Early described a fan base that has subtlety flourished, due in part to the rise in popularity of gaming,
fantasy role playing, board games and graphic novels. Popular card games such as Magic the Gathering
and graphic novels such as the blockbuster hit The Walking Dead have
helped stores like Paradox
Comics thrive over the years.
Along with these factors come
the influence of Hollywood
and its blockbuster superhero
franchises.
GL: How has Hollywood impacted
the world of comic books and
gaming?
RE: We’re in an interesting
phase right now. We are in the
midst of about a fifteen year
run of movies based off of
comic books. Hollywood has
definitely helped sustain
excitement in existing fans.
23

I just don’t know how many [fans] these movies
have created.
Early posed the question of whether or not
blockbuster Hollywood franchises, rather than
serve as a conduit to comics, possible serve as an
alternative to reading them instead.
GL: Name a few Hollywood movies that you,
personally, thought were terrible.
RE: (laughs) Well Elektra was REALLY bad! I’d also
have to throw Spiderman 3, X-Men 3 and Wolverine:
Origins in there too.
GL: Can you tell us the name of a popular series of
comics that our readers may have never heard of?
RE: That would have to be Saga by Brian K. Vaughan
and illustrated by Fiona Staples. It’s currently
outselling every Marvel and DC comic I’ve got on
the shelves right now!
GL: Lastly, have any comics ever sold for over a
million dollars?
RE: There definitely has been ones that have,
especially in the last three or four years. The
most interesting phenomenon now is that 1960’s
comics are starting to really
go up in value. People are
collecting comics with the first
appearances of Spiderman
or Wolverine, for examples.
The values of those comics are
skyrocketing.
The next time you find yourself
downtown and looking for
something to do, be sure to make
a stop at Paradox and check out
their selections of today’s most
popular games and comics.
Whether you’re looking for a new
hobby or looking to add to your
collections, Richard Early and
his staff at Paradox Comics-N-
Games has you covered.
24

For those wanting to check out Paradox Comics,
they open at 10am Monday through Saturday,
and are open from 12pm until 5pm on Sundays.
Also, be sure to check out their weekly gaming
sessions, held in in-store and in their new Event
Center located on the premises. Paradox also
hosts a monthly Tabletop Night, which is held
on the first Saturday of every month.
Lastly, be on the lookout for the Paradox
Comics booth at both of the yearly comic and
gaming conventions, Comic Con and Valley Con,
held at the Doublewood Inn, in Fargo. For more
information on Paradox and these conventions,
visit their websites or Facebook pages.
25

By: JESSICA BALLOU | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Growing up in the Midwest, shooting sports is a
pretty common hobby. Dave Gaboury has been involved
with shooting sports his whole life, but when the local
law enforcement center decided its indoor range was no
longer available to local club shooters, incentive arose for
a public center where anyone could come and practice
shooting.
There are a few outdoor shootings ranges in the area,
but winter typically poses a problem, which is one reason
Gaboury joined as a member right when the Red River
Regional Marksmanship Center opened in the fall of
2009. Then he started as a volunteer working at the front
desk before he was certified to be a range safety officer.
Later, he became a board member for the facility.
The center’s indoor pistol range has 15 50-foot
shooting lanes with a moveable target. A range safety
officer is always on duty to answer questions, provide
tips and help with any safety concerns that may arise.
There are safety rules posted throughout the facility that
everyone must follow.
26
Gaboury said the feedback for the facility has been
overwhelming positive since the facility opened.
“People are amazed we have a facility of
this type in the Fargo/Moorhead/West Fargo
metro area since we have a lower population
center than a lot of ranges,” Dave Gaboury
said. “It takes a certain population size to be
able to successfully run a business like this.”
Everyone must check in at the front desk, where
volunteers will determine if the person is a member or not
and if he or she has entered the facility before. If not, they
will receive a safety briefing about gun safety and the rules
of the center before entering the pistol range. Everyone
must wear eye and ear protection, but they
don’t have to be a member to shoot at the
facility; anyone can walk in, pay
a daily shooting
fee, sign

DAVE GABOURY, VICE PRESIDENT
BRUCE TOWERS, CHIEF RANGE SAFETY OFFICER
a liability waiver and receive a safety briefing before
practicing.
The center is a volunteer-run organization that
doesn’t have a retail gun shop on the property. While
some ranges rent firearms and sell ammunition to
patrons, shooters here need to bring their own firearms
and ammunition. Since the building can’t profit from
income generated in a retail gun shop, volunteers are
very important. The center partners with retail stores
in the Fargo-Moorhead area that sell guns and supplies
with the use of shoot cards that entitle someone who
just bought guns or accessories to stop by the center to
shoot once for free.
“It’s great for local retailers because they can tell
people there is a range to try out the gun they just
bought, here’s a card and it helps them close the sale,”
Gaboury said. “It’s great for us, too, because then we
get another shooter in the door and they can see the
facility, and if they like it, they may consider buying a
membership.”
27

The facility also has a classroom with an air gun
range, which has a maximum distance of 10 meters. The
classroom is used by the North Dakota State University
marksmanship team, as well as kids enrolled in the
junior air rifle or junior air pistol programs and other
shooting sports enthusiasts.
External instructors teach a variety of courses
that cover topics like concealed carry laws, hunters’
education, classes for beginners and more. In both
Minnesota and North Dakota, an individual must have
a permit to carry a concealed weapon, so the class details
that process, as well as the laws for other states a person
may be interested in.
Classes for beginners detail the appropriate way to
handle firearms, shoot properly, clean them and the
other basics. There are also classes for kids who are just
starting to learn about and shoot firearms called the
junior air rifle and junior air pistol programs. The Boy
Scouts, for example, have some merit badges
related to shooting sports. Some 4-H
groups come to the center to
learn and practice from
time to time as well.
An underground
rifle range now
being built on
28

the property with its own lobby is expected to open this
spring. Shooters will be able to shoot any caliber rifles a
full 100 meters underground, so many more training and
practice opportunities will be available than the center
currently is able to offer.
The rifle range will have six 100-meter lanes. The
hours have yet to be determined, and Gaboury said they
have the flexibility to set them differently than the pistol
range. He said many people are anxiously waiting for the
rifle range to open.
He also said the most important responsibility of a
gun owner involves safety, such as knowing your state’s
gun laws, handling a gun properly, making sure the gun
is pointed in a safe direction, keeping your finger off the
trigger until the gun is pointed at the target and you’re
ready to fire, knowing what is behind the target before
shooting and more.
“As a range, our goal is to facilitate shooting sports in
the Fargo-Moorhead area,” Gaboury said. “The addition
of our new rifle range will be a big win for local shooters.”
29

LOCAL HERO
30

In 1996 Bryan Kutter was still
in high school when he made
the career decision that ten
years later placed him in the
sites of a sniper. One bullet
changed Staff Sergeant Bryan Kutter
physically for the remainder of his life
and ultimately determined the end of
a long planned and hoped for twenty
year career.
With a waiver approved and
signed by his parents, Bryan joined
the Minnesota Army National Guard
when he was going into his senior
year of high school. Joining his
company for weekend trainings and
drills, Bryan graduated from Fergus
Falls High in 1997 and for the next
several years between continuous
training with the Army National
Guard and deployments to Bosnia
and Kosovo in 2002-2003 he worked
for Menards, where he met a pretty coworker
named Amanda who became
his wife in 2005, three weeks prior to
shipping out for a six month training
in Mississippi followed by what
he expected to be a sixteen month
deployment to Iraq.
BRYAN KUTTER
SNIPER CUTS MILITARY CAREER SHORT
By: SOO ASHEIM | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
photo submitted by: Bryan Kutter
photo submitted by: Bryan Kutter
As a gunner on a Bradly Vehicle, Staff Sergeant Kutter was with his
battalion in Iraq only seventy-five days into their mission of clearing
areas of IED’s and securing a village from insurgents when he was
taking the place of Commander Eric Marts seat up-top, purveying the
area behind what the military refer to as the “Pope Glass.” Call it bad
timing or just bad luck, but as he stood behind the Pope Glass with
his arms folded, watching the action and movement below he heard
and recognized the sound as the sniper’s bullet rang out from inside a
Mosque hitting SSG Kutter in the left elbow, traveled up and through
31

photoS submitted by: Bryan Kutter
his arm into his neck and finally
exiting inside the collar of his body
armour. Suddenly the excruciating
agony of being hit combined with
the gush of blood bursting from his
arm hit within nano seconds.
Kutter’s screams of torment
brought his driver up from the
second tier of the Bradley and
within seconds Gunner Mike
Felt pulled Kutter down into the
bottom tier while attempting to
stop the profuse bleeding with
pressure and tourniquets as he
32
called the Medevac’s for more
help. One tourniquet broke, but
Gunner Felt managed to apply
the second tourniquet, then their
Bradley driver drove to an outpost
about a mile away. Amazingly
with unimaginable proficiency
SSG Kutter was lifted aboard a
helicopter within 14 minutes to
fly him to Camp Taqaddum, Iraq,
where his medical team attached an
external fixator (metal bar) in order
to keep Kutter’s arm stable. From
Taqaddum he went on to Balad
(Iraq) then into Germany where
he stayed for three nights and two
days.
Staff Sergeant Bryan Kutter’s
long journey of pain, surgeries,
physical and occupational therapies
for the next several months were just
beginning. After Germany, Kutter
was flown to Andrews Air Force
Base in Washington, D.C., then on
to Augusta, Georgia’s Ft. Gordon’s
Eisenhower Army Medical Center to
face more surgeries and months of
therapy.

DEAR, GUESS WHAT HAPPENED ?
Not wanting to frighten Amanda
any more than necessary, Kutter
practiced how to ‘understate’ his
condition yet let her know he needed
her with him. There is a seven hour
difference between Minnesota and
where SSG Kutter was able to call
Amanda from and knowing that
he would awaken her at that hour
of the morning, SSG Kutter tried
to sound as “up-beat as possible”
in order to not send Amanda into
a frantic worrying frenzy. Amanda
was happy to hear the voice of her
far away groom as she shook off her
sleepy fog. As Kutter calmly said,
“Well, there’s
good news and
some bad news.”
Now fully awake, Amanda asked for
the bad news first. “ I’ve been shot”
Kutter said still trying not to alarm
Amanda any more than he knew
she already would be. Amanda sat
listening then finally asked “what’s
the good news?” And just as Kutter
began to tell her “I’m coming home,”
the phones went dead on both
ends. While it was only a matter of
minutes before their satellite feed
was reengaged and they were able to
hear one another again, for Amanda
it seemed an eternity! Once back on
the line Bryan was able to finish his
sentence and said “I’m coming home.”
33

photo submitted by: Bryan Kutter
34
Amanda Kutter, Bryan’s mother
(Tamrie Kohoutek of Detroit Lakes,
MN.,) and Bryan’s father, (Keith
Kutter of Breckenridge, MN.,) all
flew to Ft. Gordon to be with Bryan.
Amanda was the first to arrive very
late the same night that Kutter was
flown to Eisenhower Medical at Ft.
Gordon. It was after the surgery
two days later that Bryan’s parents
arrived. As an only child not being
with him was extremely stressful
coupled with Kutter’s medical team
still were not able to determine
definitively whether they would be
able to save his arm or not. At this
point, all anyone could tell them
was that they were doing all they
could. And after the first surgery
at Ft. Gordon, the doctors inserted
two plates, one pin and some 25
screws into his arm.
As the second surgery required
more blood to be transfused into
Kutter, he started to feel the worst
he had felt since the beginning
when he had been shot. At one
point Kutter said “for the first time
I thought I just might die.” As the
medical experts prepared Kutter
for his second surgery, this one to
graft skin from his leg to the gaping
wound on his bi-cep, Kutter was
getting the last of five extra pints
of blood needed for the surgery.
He began to react violently with
jerks and gasps. The medical team
began checking all the lines hooked
to Kutter one by one. Whatever
was going on inside him was not
getting better, only worse. Finally
after several questions and checks
with rechecks were going on a
doctor in the surgical room simply
said “when all else fails, return
to the original path.” And with
that the doctor grabbed the blood
transfusion line being pumped into
Kutter and unplugged it. Within
mere minutes, Bryan Kutter felt his
life had been saved yet again. They
found the blood Kutter was having
pumped into him for the surgery
had bacteria in it that was causing
him to basically shut down.

Some five months later, after being in an activeduty
rehab unit at the Augusta Veterans Hospital
and also in an out-patient wing at Eisenhower,
Kutter was sent back home, to Minnesota. In
August, Bryan and Amanda spent their very first
wedding anniversary together when Amanda flew
back to Ft. Gordon to be with Bryan.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
In November of 2006, Bryan was able to transfer
home through the Army Community Based Health
Care Initiative. During his continued rehab, Bryan
went through Merit Care in Fargo (aka Sanford).
Kutter’s last surgery was in 2007. Bryan was awarded
the Purple Heart for and Bronze Star Metal for his
service in combat.
Today Brian Kutter is retired from the Army
with an Honorable Medical Disability and while he
would never want to go through any of his ordeal
ever again, when asked if he misses the Army, he
doesn’t hesitate to answer “yes. I miss my friends in
the service and I think the mission we were on had
merit.” When asked about the injuries he sustained
and how they have affected him, Bryan says due
to the limitations and obvious disability of his left
arm he’s not as physical as he once was. Basketball,
a sport he played often and loved he is not able
to push to the competitive level he
once could. Golf is another sport
he enjoyed but he rarely plays
anymore nor does he go hunting
as he did prior to the deployment
to Iraq.
Yet, even with his disability,
Bryan understands that he escaped
what could have been a much
worse fate in Iraq and has learned
to appreciate a much calmer and
sane lifestyle.
photo submitted by: Bryan Kutter
Living the good life for
Bryan today is enjoying
the extra time he has to
spend with Amanda and
their two children,
Avery and Madison.
Bryan Kutter is a sales
representative for Cross Insulation
and Construction and enjoys being
able to “just enjoy each day with
my family.”
35

2