Pyrrhic Victories

2007-01-23T21:37:00.000-08:00

Not sure if Juxtapose is biting Giant Robot or The Comics Interpreter
but their last two issues have featured GR & TCI staples David Choe, James Jean (as interviewed by Choe), and Seanna Hong. At least the magazine that trumpets ugly art (founded by Robt. Williams, no less) has found it's way to some stuff that is both edgy yet still beautiful to look at. Good art need not always repulse you know. I haven't read Choe's sure-to-be-great interview with JJ yet, but the interview with Choe himself is terrific, as are the sumptuous pieces of art chosen to accompany the piece.
Anyway at this rate, look for future Juxtapose issues featuring Hans Rickheit, kozyndan, and Dash Shaw.

2006-11-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Page from the Basilisk manga.

2006-10-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I was displaced and my life completely ripped apart on Oct. 13, and I've been without internet access until now. Not that it mattered. But it's been restored so I'll probably start blogging again sporadically (which is all I ever did before). Nothing really matters or means anything for me any more. But I'm attempting to do things that make the time pass until I screw up the courage to jump off a bridge or cut my wrists or something.

2006-10-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

2006-10-06T14:21:00.002-07:00

HERE COMES DUSTY PENCIL

Dustin Harbin, who for the past decade has been the ubiqitous righthand man of HeroesCon founder Shelton Drum, recently made this announcement:

"After ten glorious, back-breaking, and enormously educational years, I’m moving on, into the world of freelance illustration and graphic design. And thus, penury If you’d like to see what I’m up to, try out my website: www.dharbin.com."

It's a credit to Dustin that I didn't even know he could draw, since in the few times we talked he never once dropped that little tidbit or hit me up to promote his work (like so many other artists), or anything. And yet as his website attests, he can draw...very well. I see a little Troy Nixey and maybe even Renee' French in his work, but only a little. Give his site a look. Good stuff.

2006-10-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

COMICS EPHEMERA: AN EXERCISE IN MINIMALISM

Has it been far too long since you wondered Where's Waldo? Dash Shaw renews your quandary with this amazing (read: insane) new plaything.

See the full piece (as well as Shaw's original board game designs) HERE

And look for his new book The Mothers Mouth in stores now.

PS. I haven't bothered searching for Waldo, but it's easy enough to spot the androgynous banana that gave Shaw a handjob in Goddess Head.

2006-10-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lapse in posting. It's been a rough couple of weeks and suddenly everything was rendered meaningless (especially this) for a frozen moment.

2006-09-17T02:52:00.000-07:00

LOST GIRLS SELLS OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN

This from Chris Staros of Top Shelf:

"Lost Girls hit stores on Wed Aug 31st, and the entire 10,000 copy 1st
printing sold out on that day. -- It even hit the "Top 20" on Amazon.com,
which has never happened to a Top Shelf title before. -- By that Friday,
the back orders in the Diamond system had already exceeded the 2nd printing
of 10,000, which is scheduled to hit stores in October. So, we went ahead
and ordered another 20,000 copies for the 3rd printing, to arrive in
December. If you see a copy, be sure to pick it up right away, as these new
printings are likely to sell out in short order as well."
-- $75.00 (US), ISBN 1-891830-74-0, FOR ADULTS ONLY
LG: http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=219

I will attempt to calculate exactly how much gold will enter Top Shelf's coffers as a result of this
on the next podcast. No really, I'm going to crunch numbers and everything. Like Jethro Bodine doin' his figurin'.

2006-09-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

2006 IGNATZ AWARD NOMINEES

Winners will be announced the night of October 14th at the gala awards ceremony.

From Best Online Comics nominee, Perry Bible Fellowship

Outstanding Artist
* Jordan Crane, The Clouds Above (Fantagraphics Books)
* Renee French, The Ticking (Top Shelf Productions)
* Tony Millionaire, Billy Hazelnuts (Fantagraphics Books)
* Anders Nilsen, Big Questions #7 and #8 (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (Fantagraphics Books)

Jordan Crane's The Clouds Above

Outstanding Anthology or Collection
* Black Hole by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
* Castle Waiting by Linda Medley (Fantagraphics Books)
* D& Q Showcase #3 by Matt Broersma, Genevieve Elverum, and Sammy Harkham (D & Q)
* The Push Man and Other Stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Squirrel Mother by Megan Kelso (Fantagraphics Books)

Tatsumi's The Push Man

Outstanding Graphic Novel
* The Clouds Above by Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics Books)
* Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)
* The Ticking by Renee French (Top Shelf Productions)
* Tricked by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf Productions)
* Wimbledon Green by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

The Ticking by Renee French

Outstanding Story
* Ganges #1 by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics Books)
* “Prebaby” by Joe Daly, Scrublands (Fantagraphics Books)
* “Somersaulting” by Sammy Harkham, D&Q Showcase #3 (Drawn & Quarterly)
* “To Capt. Ayres” by Andrice Arp, MOME Winter 2006 (Fantagraphics Books)
* We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin (Drawn & Quarterly)

Promising New Talent
* Andrice Arp, Mome Winter 2006 (Fantagraphics Books)
* Jonathan Bennett, Mome Fall 2005 (Fantagraphics Books)
* R. Kikuo Johnson, Night Fisher (Fantagraphics Books)
* Ben Jones, BJ & Da Dogs (Picturebox, Inc.)
* Hope Larson, Salamander Dream (AdHouse Books), Gray Horses (Oni Press)

Hope Larson, Salamander Dream

Outstanding Series
* Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware (Fantagraphics Books)
* Big Questions by Anders Nilsen (Drawn and Quarterly)
* Love and Rockets by Los Bros. Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)
* Optic Nerve by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Owly by Andy Runton (Top Shelf Productions)

Outstanding Comic
* Big Questions #7 by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Ganges #1 by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics Books)
* Optic Nerve #10 by Adrian Tomine (Drawn and Quarterly)
* Schizo #4 by Ivan Brunetti (Fantagraphics Books)
* Stuff of Dreams #3 by Kim Deitch (Fantagraphics Books)

Outstanding Minicomic
* Comicore Jr. by Paulette Poullet
* Gaylord Phoenix # 4 by Edie Fake
* Monsters by Ken Dahl
* Trackrabbit by Geoff Vasile
* Window #8 by Dave Lapp

Window by Dave Lapp

Outstanding Online Comic
* A Lesson Is Learned... by David Hellman and Dale Beran, www.alessonislearned.com
* Claviger by Ronnie Casson, www.girlamatic.com
* Micrographica by Renee French, www.serializer.net
* Perry Bible Fellowship by Nicholas Gurewitch, www.pbfcomics.com
* Thingpart by Joe Sayers, www.jsayers.com/thingpart/thingpart.html

Outstanding Debut Comic
* Action Philosophers #7: It’s All Greek to You by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey (Evil Twin Comics)
* Anyone But Virginia #3 by Zac Crockett and Josh Eiserike (Self-Published)
* Class of ‘99 by Josh Eiserike (Self-Published)
* Controller by Robin Enrico (Self-Published)
* Cross Country by MK Reed (Self-Published)
* Curses by Kevin Huizenga (Drawn & Quarterly)
* The Damned #1 by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt (Oni Press)
* Delphine #1 by Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books)
* Daybreak by Brian Ralph (Bodega Distribution)
* Feral Ducks by FW Harvey and Josef J. Komenda (Self-Published)
* Hellcity by Macon Blair and Joe Flood (Gigantic Graphic Novels)
* Hwy. 115 by Matthias Lehmann (Fantagraphics Books)
* House of Twelve’s “Heavy Metal: The Movie” by various (House of Twelve Comics)
* Interiorae #2 by Gabriella Giandelli (Fantagraphics Books)
* Let Us Be Perfectly Clear by Paul Hornschemeier (Fantagraphics Books)
* Luba: Three Daughters by Gilbert Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)
* Lucky by Gabrielle Bell (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Book One by Tove Jansson (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Mourning Star by Kazimir Strzepek (Bodega Distribution)
* My Brain Hurts #4 by Liz Baillie (Self-Published)
* New Tales Of Old Palomar #1 by Gilbert Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)
* One Last Ride On The Ghost Truck by Ben T. Steckler (Self-Published)
* Premillennial Maakies by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics Books)
* The Pirates of Coney Island #1 by Rick Spears and Vasilis Lolos (Image Comics)
* Project: Romantic by various (AdHouse Books)
* Rogue Satellite Comics: Crossroads to Lambada by Christopher P. Reilly (Self-Published)
* Sidescrollers by Matthew Loux (Oni Press)
* 12 Reasons Why I Love Her by Jamie S. Rich & Joelle Jones (Oni Press)
* We Must Become Our Heroes, vol. II, #1 by Jordan Giarratano (Big G, Little G)
* You Ain’t No Dancer Vol. 2 by Various (New Reliable Press)

2006 Ignatz Jury
Jeffrey Brown
Henry Chamberlain
Justin Hall
Laurenn McCubbin
Jim Rugg

2006-09-11T03:58:00.000-07:00

THE COMICS INTERPRETER PODCAST

PYRRHIC VICTORIES: Episode 7

The Brothers Hernandez panel (86 minutes) moderated by Peter Bagge. Recorded July 2006 at HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC. Featuring all three Bros, Mario, Gilbert and Jaime'; and the ever-loquacious Bagge.

Learn the source of Bagge's "pathological hatred" for punker Richard Hell. Hear Gilbert's hilarious story about the bungled suicide/martyrdom of Darby Crash; and why so many guitarists make the artistic decision to switch to piano. And oh yes...comics. Gilbert on working for DC. Jaime on his work for New York Times magazine. And Mario on the question he always gets asked. And the latest on the Love & Rockets movie (answer: don't hold your breath). And so much more.

2006-09-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

TAIYO MATSUMOTO

2006-09-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

NEAL ADAMS AUDIO INTERVIEW
Meanwhile: The (other) Comics Podcast

Adams talks to hosts T Campbell and Dave Belmore about his hard road breaking into Archie Comics and his long, tumultuous career in a business that everybody warned him about. It's an entertaining conversation, although the boys guffaw at almost every Adams utterance. But Adams certainly has plenty to say. Just wind 'im up and watch (or listen) to him go.

2006-09-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

COMICS, COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, ART, ARTISTS (this is for google)

The image at the left is just one of a plethora of eye-opening laughers from the endlessly entertaining Superdickery site. Racism, sexism, and 25 amusing examples of Superman acting like a real dick.
Have fun!

2006-09-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

COMICS, COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, ART, ARTISTS

2006-09-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

COMICS, COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, ART, ARTISTS

Matt Brinkman's insane take on New Mutants from the now-legendary Coober Skeeber.

(click to enlarge)

2006-09-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

GOOGLE ADS GO AWRY

I am disgusted and embarassed by the Google ad bars that are currently on my blog. They tune into key words to cue up relevant content and apparently my post two days ago about Steve Irwin The Crocodile H** nter inadvertantly cued up a shitload of absolutely disgusting ads for bloodthirsty lodges and clubs that cater to wealthy cowards who get their rocks off killing animals.

I say Fuck them!

Back to comics.

2006-09-02T02:49:00.000-07:00

Writer Deepti Lamba reviews the much-hyped bow of Richard Branson and Gotham Chopra's Virgin Comics #01 --Sadhu at Blogcritics.org

It's a fine review, just don't mistake the amazon.com ad for the cover of the comic.

ps. Hello Mumbai!

2006-09-02T02:27:00.000-07:00

Over at Newsrama, Scottish writer Mark Millar (The Authority, The Ultimates) says Hollywood is the latest threat to comic books.

This really struck me a few days ago when I requested an artist and discovered he’d be out of commission for the next eighteen months because he’d just landed a gig on a huge sci-fi movie. Eighteen months is a long time for a comics artist to be gone and this guy is so good, so popular, that I know he’ll have another three movie gigs waiting for him when his current commitment is done. And he’s not alone ... Likewise, every writer I know has a movie deal at the moment.

2006-09-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Hugo Pratt

2006-08-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Anno Domini Presents...COLLABRO
(sounds interesting for anyone living near San Jose, CA)

"A collection of rare collaborative art pieces created by 90 participating artists. The Collabro group show aims to define a moment of the urban art movement, a movement met with evolutionary strides in ideas, composition and esthetic. In this contemporary art progression, artists are encouraged to break hard-line, uncompromising work conventions and instead progress with each other, as evidenced in the cooperative elements of street murals. For Collabro the artists have joined their separate art forms on shared! canvas space, providing exceptional opportunities in what can be called an "ego share."

Anno Domini is proud to be the host of the Bay Area version of this exhibit and has curated an additional 20 A.D. affiliated artists to participate. It was shown in Los Angeles this past May and has plans to move onto other cities across the U.S. over the next year."

Exhibit on view through thru October 21, 2006
Gallery Hours: Tues thru Sat., Noon - 8pm

COLLABRO participating artists:

Joshua Petker, Alex Pardee, Robert Bowen, Lesley Reppeteaux, ! Poor Al, John Michael Gill, Sophia Pottish, Scott Saw, Peter Taylor, Axis, Greg "Craola" Simkins, Isaac Pierro, Jophen Stein, Tim McCormick, Sylvia Ji, Len Croskey, Michele Waterman, Daryll Peirce, Gustaf Rooth, The Mac, Siloette, Luiki, John Stuart Berger, Dave "Persue" Ross, Tina Anderson, Kim Scott, Downtimer, Casey O'Connell, Tristan Eaton, Neko, That Kid Peep, Mike Maxwell, C. Liu, Monica Hoover, Chandu Reading, Ewsoe, Andre Salcido, Mark Bode, Marco Zamora, David Russell Talbott, Kelly Hutchinson, Brandon Steen, Meex, Ricky Watts, Chris Jehly, Jeremy Szuder, Blinky, Marcos Lafarga, Thomas Han, Erik Alos, Ekundayo, Ben Horton, Skinner, Chris Granillo, Daniel Fleres, Gale Hart, Loren Purcell, Iceberg Slick, Caeser Garcia, Clown, Sez, Andrew Brandou, Matt Stallings, James Naccarato, Jeff Soto, Joe Ledbetter, Jeremy Fish, Jesse Hotchkiss, Joe Joe, Misha, Ezra Li Eismont, Charity Romero, Dan Lewis, Matt Pugh, Jason Arnold, Tim Leirman, Lucien Shapiro, Dave Corre! ia, Brad Isdrab, Jon Wayshak, Sam Rodriguez, Paul Alvarez (Zen), Alex Lukas, Ned Ven, Jesse Reno, Ashley Montague, Alfonso Kellenberger, Rebecca Cotton, nOah, Yoshi 47

Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design
366 So. First Street map
San Jose, CA! 95113 408.271.5155
www.galleryAD.com

2006-08-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK KIRBY!

August 28th would have been Kirby's 89th birthday.

Here are a pair of typically jawdropping pages of Kirby's original art (from DC's New Gods, and the Marvel adaptation of Kubrick's 2001).

The man was an artistic titan.

2006-08-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

2006-08-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

Pyrrhic Victories: TCI Podcast Episode 6

You...must...listen...

Featuring an interview with acclaimed cartoonist DASH SHAW (Goddesshead, The Mothers Mouth); David Choe news, a quote from Seth, Lost Girls, Jack Jackson, Lil Mao & Friends, and more.

Plus our most grating musical bumper ever. You'll know it when you hear it. Bleed ears, bleed!

Pyrrhic Victories: Brought to you by the Honorable Brotherhood of Millet. True Roman bread for true Romans.

2006-08-24T02:49:00.000-07:00

HBO's ROME IS...
...absolutely fantastic!

If the promise of copious amounts of blood and sex alone don't grab you, then just read on for the more subtle finery of the series.

I don't have HBO so I have only seen the first five episodes on the just-released DVD collection, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better television series ever (although at HeroesCon Warren Ellis sung the praises of another HBO series, Deadwood)). The sets and wardrobe in Rome are as sumptuous as a feature film, and quite frankly this series obliterates the formulaic mediocrity that was Gladiator.

The acting from Caesar, to Atia, Brutus to Mark Antony, Pompey to young Octavian, and certainly Pullo and Vorenus, is uniformly excellent. Never for a moment do you see the craft, you merely see Romans in all their glory, machinations, and brutality.

The interpersonal intrigue and social maneuvering is every bit as fascinating and involved as that in Valmont (or Dangerous Liasons if you prefer).

Scenes like when Titus Pullo explains to his friend Vorenus (a lifelong soldier not given to Pullo's womanizing ways) that if he can just find his wife's special "button" that she will open to him like a flower. But also nothing works so well as to present a woman with the "still warm heart of an enemy." That he says makes them as "wet as October."

Or when Pullo and Vorenus discuss the stars in the sky: Vorenus explains that the stars are holes in the celestial body, and that they are much larger than they appear--large enough for a man to crawl through--but they look small because they are in fact "hundreds of miles" above the earth. Pullo, in total seriousness, says that it may be possible to reach them...perhaps if one were to ride a large bird. It's a great exchange in that it demonstrates the limited science of the times and the even more limited understanding that soldiers, as opposed to scientists, would have of the universe.

And everyone is flawed, and no one clean in ROME: Passive slaves get whipped simply to exorcise their master's daily frustrations. Innocent people are crucified (even by loyal, dedicated, Verenus) as a means to glean information for Caesar. And animals are cruelly sacrificed to myriad gods for even the most capricious of reasons.

Simply put if you haven't already seen ROME, then by all means buy or rent the DVD's. It's too good to be missed.

Addendum: The second season is filming now but sadly it's scheduled to be the last (so we'll never get to Caligula!?) The first season reportedly cost around $100 million for the 12-episodes (and you can see it on the screen), and for some bizarre reason the show's ratings didn't approach those of The Sopranos or some of HBO's past hits. Perhaps because it wasn't given anything approaching the promotion or publicity, because this show is every ounce as good as The Sopranos. In fact, fuck The Sopranos! I'd rather see Caesar and the original Italian mafia than those fat, fucks from New Jersey.

2006-08-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

DAVID LLOYD INTERVIEW

British artist David Lloyd, best-known for his work with Alan Moore on the V For Vendetta GN, talks about the film version and his latest work, Kickback. The book was originally published in France, because according to Lloyd, the crime genre wasn't that big in the US; but now it's being released domestically by Dark Horse.

2006-08-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

FLOYD GOTTFREDSON INTERVIEW

A nice two-page interview with one of the grand old men of Disney animation, conducted in 1979 by Jim Korkis is up on Animation World Magazine's website.
__________________________

JK: Did you get to meet Walt?

FG: Walt himself looked over my samples and asked me what sort of work I was interested in doing and I told him I wanted to do comic strips. Well, at that time, Disney wasn’t doing any comic strips. Walt was quite a salesman. He told me I didn’t want to get involved in doing comic strips because it was a rat race. He said that the future would be animation and he was so convincing that I said, “Fine. Do you have any openings in animation?” And he said, “Sure, we’ll put you in as an in-betweener.”

JK: Did you start working at Disney immediately?

FG: I went to work the following day, Dec. 19, 1929. I was 24 years old and had been married for five years. I had been earning $65 a week as a projectionist and Walt was offering $18 a week but I took it because he had really convinced me that animation was the future.

___________________________________________

Well Uncle Walt certainly knew what he was talking about when he said comics strips (and books) were the "rat race" and animation was the future (like cryogenics). Of course, animation (particularly in Japan) provides a crushing rat-like workload as well, but at least you get paid for your work (or so I've heard). Go over to AWM and read the rest.

While you're there you can check out the extensive report on all things animated from Comic-Con 2006.

2006-08-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

BACK IN BLACK: DAVID CHOE RETURNS TO COMICS

I will definitely talk more about this later (but right now it's 7:52 am and I haven't een to sleep yet).

A lot of you probably just got David Choe's latest jampacked mass email, but for those who didn't here's a little taste. The great news is that Choe's going to draw a comics again (the bad news is it's about Wu Tang Clan, but Choe will probably make it work anyway). Read on...

" I'm returning to comics this year. I will be writing and painting the WU-TANG comic book. Look for it by the end of this year. It's gonna be better than the actual wu-tang clan.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT !!!! in LOS ANGELES lets fucking party
I'm driving down to l.a. to see my favorite artist's from Miami FRIENDS WITH YOU
> You know it's gonna be fucking awesome
> When: August 19th - September 1st, 2006
> Opening Reception - Saturday, August 19th (7-10 PM)
> Where: Scion Installation LA
> 8553 Washington Blvd
> Culver City, CA 90232
> if you live in l.a. and you dont go your a doofus dexter

Early the next morning I'll be leaving with my friend harry, on our t.v.show for the vice/mtv network . "thumbs up" we hitch hike and hop freights across America, we're not allowed to pay for rides or shelter. It's gonna be fun. Look for that and our trip to Africa on mtv, or mtv2 , or spike tv or something else I don't have any details , all I know is we fucking rocked the congo."

2006-08-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

PAUL POPE'S MULTIMEDIA EVENT

This happened a month ago, but having just stumbled across it, it's still of interest.

"At LVHRD's next event, acclaimed artist Paul Pope will present his genre-breaking work to a small audience, followed by a music performance by musician Mark Denardo. Not only do both artists approach their work from a similar "analog" perspective (Mr. Pope still draws with pen and ink and Mr. DeNardo's compositions are arranged primarily on a Game Boy), but DeNardo also garners a lot of inspiration from Pope's storytelling and illustration. Pope just finished Batman Year 100, is directing the animation for an unnamed feature film, and was just commissioned to produce fashion works for Diesel."

2006-08-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

I just skimmed through the much-ballyhooed HALO graphic novel recently published as a hardcover by Microsoft's Bungie Studios in conjunction with Marvel Comics. My impressions: This looks like a particularly unappealing issue of Heavy Metal magazine from the 70’s. It comes complete with an exceptionally ugly Simon Bisley story; and a long-awaited piece by former Heavy Metal (Metal Hurlant) stalwart, Moebius, which should be a highlight in any such book. Unfortunately, the Moebius story, while still possessing glimmers of Jean Giraud’s tell-tale stylings, looks rushed and unspectacular; and the colors waver between somewhat intriguing and genuinely garish.

Of course this should have been expected, in that a comic (or film) based on a video game certainly doesn’t hold much promise for original or inspiring work. On the other hand, even the casual observer could have hoped that with the inclusion of the likes of Moebius and even Bisley, that this would be a more handsome compendium than the soulless do-it-for-the-money hackwork it appears to be.

2006-08-11T03:45:00.000-07:00

Meathaus 8: Headgames is finally seeing print. The book is currently re-offered in the August Previews catalog for October shipping.

The list of contributors (including longtime stalwarts Farel Dalrymple, Tomer Hanuka, James Jean) is impressive:

Phonzie Davis
Nate Powell
Matthew Woodson
Vezun
Becky Cloonan
Troy Nixey
Jim Campbell
Theo Edmands
Joseph Belden
Jennie Yim
Keith Graham
Celia Bullwinkel
Scott Morse
Jonique Williams
Stephen Gilpin
P. Williams
Matthew Manning
Robert Donnelly
Jay Sacher
Jasen Lex
Mickey Duzyj
Jim Mahfood
James Jean
Jim Rugg
Dash Shaw
Esao Andrews
Farel Dalrymple
Mu Dafaka
Vincent Stall
Chris McDonnell
Brandon Graham
Tomer Hanuka
Jeffro Kilpatrick
Tom Herpich
Tony Sandoval
Zachary Flagg
Kenichi Hoshine

2006-08-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

I love the work of Anke Feuchtenberger. This from her short piece in Rosetta 2, edited by Suat Tong Ng.

2006-08-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Spider-Man 3 Exclusive Dailies

We know you just can't wait for Spider-Man 3 so we've dug up incredible footage from what promises to be one of the film's most exciting scenes. Be warned that this is raw footage prior to all the CGI effects to be added in post-production, and the audio is also a bit rough. But it's no less amazing, don't you think?

Director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire are both on board for the ride, and reports are that Topher Grace (That 70's Show) will play Spidey villain Venom in this latest installment.
SCENES: Tobey Maguire (and stunt doubles) doing amazing stuff as everyone's favorite wallcrawler.

2006-07-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

2006 Eisner Winners (in brick)

Best Short Story
* "Blood Son," by Richard Matheson, adapted by Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood, in Doomed #1 (IDW)
* "Monster Slayers," by Khang Le, in Flight, vol. 2 (Image)
* "Nameless," by Eric Powell, in The Goon #14 (Dark Horse)
* "Operation" (story #5), by Zak Sally, in The Recidivist #3 (La Mano)
* "Teenage Sidekick," by Paul Pope, in Solo #3 (DC)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
* The Bakers, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)
* Ex Machina #11: "Fortune Favors" by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC)
* The Innocents, by Gipi (Fantagraphics/Coconino Press)
* Promethea #32: "Wrap Party" by Alan Moore and J. H. Williams III (ABC)
* Solo #5, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best Serialized Story
* Desolation Jones #1-5: "Made in England," by Warren Ellis and J. H. Williams III (WildStorm/DC)
* Fables #36-38, 40-41: "Return to the Homelands," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)
* Ex Machina #12-14: "Fact v. Fiction," by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC)
* Y: The Last Man #37-39: "Paper Dolls," by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, Goran Sudzuka, and Jose Marzan Jr. (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series
* Age of Bronze, by Eric Shanower (Image)
* Astonishing X-Men, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)
* Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC)
* Fell, by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith (Image)
* Rocketo, by Frank Espinosa (Speakeasy)
* True Story, Swear to God, by Tom Beland (Clib's Boy Comics)

Best Limited Series
* Nat Turner, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)
* Ocean, by Warren Ellis, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story (WildStorm/DC)
* Seven Soldiers, by Grant Morrison and various artists (DC)
* Smoke, by Alex de Campi and Igor Kordey (IDW)

Best New Series
* All Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
* Desolation Jones, by Warren Ellis and J. H. Williams III (WildStorm/DC)
* Fell, by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith (Image)
* Rocketo, by Frank Espinosa (Speakeasy)
* Young Avengers, by Alan Heinberg, Jim Cheung, and John Dell (Marvel)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience
* Amelia Rules! by Jimmy Gownley (Renaissance Press)
* The Clouds Above, by Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics)
* Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius, by Chris Eliopoulous and Mark Sumerak (Marvel)
* Owly: Flying Lessons, by Andy Runton (Top Shelf)
* Spiral-Bound, by Aaron Renier (Top Shelf)

Best Anthology
* The Dark Horse Book of the Dead, edited by Scott Allie (Dark Horse Books)
* Flight, vol. 2, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Image)
* Mome. edited by Gary Groth and Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
* Solo, edited by Mark Chiarello (DC)
* 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights 2005, edited by Nat Gertler (About Comics)

Best Digital Comic
* Copper, by Kazu www.boltcity.com/copper
* Jellaby, by Kean Soo, www.secretfriendsociety.com/archive.php?cat=2
* ojingogo, by matt forsythe www.comingupforair.net/comics/ojingogo.html
* PVP, by Scott Kurtz, www.pvponline.com/

Best Reality-Based Work
* Embroideries, by Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon)
* Epileptic, by David B. (Pantheon)
* Nat Turner, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)
* Pyongyang, by Guy Delisle (Drawn & Quarterly)
* True Story, Swear to God (Clib's Boy Comics), True Story, Swear to God: This One Goes to Eleven (AiT/Planet Lar), by Tom Beland

Best Graphic Album--New
* Acme Novelty Library #16, by Chris Ware (ACME Novelty)
* The Rabbi's Cat, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon)
* Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, by Alan Moore and Gene Ha (ABC)
* Tricked, by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf)
* Wimbledon Green, by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Graphic Album--Reprint
* Acme Novelty Library Annual Report to Shareholders, by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
* Black Hole, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
* Feast of the Seven Fishes, by Robert Tinnell, Ed Piskor, and Alex Saviuk (Allegheny Image Factory)
* Ice Haven, by Dan Clowes (Pantheon)
* War's End, by Joe Sacco (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project--Comic Strips
* The Complete Calvin & Hobbes, by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel)
* The Complete Peanuts, 1955-1956, 1957-1958, by Charles Schulz (Fantagraphics)
* Krazy and Ignatz: The Komplete Kat Komics. by George Herriman (Fantagraphics)
* Little Nemo in Slumberland: So Many Splendid Sundays, by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books)
* Walt and Skeezix, by Frank King (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project--Comic Books
* Absolute Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)
* Buddha, vols. 5-8, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
* The Contract with God Trilogy, by Will Eisner (Norton)
* DC Comics Rarities Archives, vol. 1 (DC)
* Fantastic Four Omnibus, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Marvel)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material
* Cromartie High School, by Eiji Nonaka (ADV)
* Dungeon: The Early Years, vol. 1, by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, and Christophe Blaine (NBM)
* Ordinary Victories, by Manu Larcenet (NBM)
* The Rabbi's Cat, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon)
* Six Hundred Seventy-Six Apparitions of Killoffer, by Killoffer (Typocrat)

Best Writer
* Warren Ellis, Fell (Image); Down (Top Cow/Image); Desolation Jones, Ocean, Planetary (WildStorm/DC)
* Alan Heinberg, Young Avengers (Marvel)
* Alan Moore, Promethea, Top Ten: The Forty-Niners (ABC)
* Grant Morrison, Seven Soldiers, All Star Superman (DC)
* Brian K. Vaughan, Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Runaways (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist
* Geof Darrow, Shaolin Cowboy (Burlyman)
* Guy Delisle, Pyongyang (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image)
* Adrian Tomine, Optic Nerve #10 (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Best Writer/Artist--Humor
* Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); The Bakers (Kyle Baker Publishing)
* Paige Braddock, Jane's World (Girl Twirl)
* Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Oni)
* Eric Powell, The Goon (Dark Horse)
* Seth, Wimbledon Green (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Penciller/Inker
* John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC)
* Gene Ha, Top Ten: The Forty-Niners (ABC)
* J. G. Jones, Wanted (Top Cow/Image)
* Frank Quitely, All Star Superman (DC)
* J. H. Williams III, Promethea, Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
* Paul Guinan, Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate (IDW)
* Ladronn, Hip Flask: Mystery City (Active Images)
* Ben Templesmith, Fell (Image)
* Kent Williams, The Fountain (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist
* Frank Espinosa, Rocketo (Speakeasy)
* Tony Harris, Ex Machina (Wildstorm/DC)
* James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Runaways (Marvel)
* Jock, The Losers (Vertigo/DC)
* Eric Powell, The Goon; Universal Monsters: Cavalcade of Horror (Dark Horse)

Best Coloring
* Jeromy Cox, Teen Titans (DC); Otherworld (Vertigo/DC)
* Steven Griffen, Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort (Image)
* Steve Hamaker, Bone: The Great Cow Race (Scholastic Graphix)
* Jose Villarrubia, Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC)
* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Best Lettering
* Chris Eliopolis: Ultimate Iron Man, Astonishing X-Men, Ultimates 2, House of M, Franklin Richards (Marvel); Fell (Image)
* Todd Klein: Wonder Woman, Justice, Seven Soldiers #0 (DC); Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC); Promethea, Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, Tomorrow Stories Special (ABC); Fables (Vertigo); 1602: New World (Marvel)
* Richard Starkings: Conan, Revelations (Dark Horse); Godland (Image); Gunpowder Girl and the Outlaw Squaw, Hip Flask: Mystery City (Active Images)
* Chris Ware: Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition
* Dawn Brown (Ravenous, Little Red Hot)
* Aaron Renier (Spiral-Bound)
* Zak Sally (Recidivist)
* Ursula Vernon (Digger)

Best Comics-Related Periodical
* Comic Art, edited by M. Todd Hignite (Comic Art)
* Comic Book Artist, edited by Jon Cooke (Top Shelf)
* The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth and Dirk Deppey (Fantagraphics)
* Draw!, edited by Michael Manley (TwoMorrows)
* Following Cerebus, edited by Craig Miller and John Thorne (Aardvark-Vanaheim/Win-Mill Productions)

Best Comics-Related Book
* The Comics Journal Library: Classic Comic Illustrators, edited by Tom Spurgeon (Fantagraphics)
* Eisner/Miller, interviews conducted by Charles Brownstein (Dark Horse Books)
* Foul Play: The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s EC Comics, by Grant Geissman (Harper Design)
* Masters of American Comics, edited by John Carlin, Paul Karasik, and Brian Walker (Hammer Museum/MOCA Los Angeles/Yale University Press)
* RGK: Art of Roy G. Krenkel, edited by J. David Spurlock and Barry Klugerman (Vanguard)

Best Publication Design
* Acme Novelty Library Annual Report to Shareholders, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon) TIE
* Little Nemo in Slumberland, designed by Philippe Ghuilemetti (Sunday Press Books) TIE
* Promethea #32, designed by J. H. Williams III and Todd Klein (ABC)
* Walt and Skeezix, designed by Chris Ware (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Wimbledon Green, designed by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

Hall of Fame
Judges' Choices: Floyd Gottfredson, William Moulton Marston
Voters chose four:
* Matt Baker
* Vaughn Bode
* Wayne Boring
* Reed Crandall
* Creig Flessel
* Ramona Fradon
* Harold Gray
* Graham Ingels
* Robert Kanigher
* Russ Manning
* Mort Meskin
* Marty Nodell
* Gilbert Shelton
* Jim Steranko

THOUGHTS: Big wins for Mark Chiarello and his canceled brainchild SOLO (will this result in its revival?) And for Andy Runton of Owly.
Grant Morrison takes two (one w/ the splendid Frank Quitely). Alan Moore also takes two in reprints, and absentia.
Congrats to Charles Brownstein, who may find his win a slight salve for what's been a tough year.
Also to our friend James Jean for repeating as Best Cover Artist.

2006-07-23T01:02:00.000-07:00

BORAT: Kazakhstan's Greatest Export

Sounds like Comic-Con '06 is swimming in the usual morass of sure-to-be crappy movies (Transformers, Saw III, Snakes on a Muthafuckin Plane) and even crappier movie stars (The Wayans Brothers...ugh!).

So thank Ulek ( I dunno, I just made it up) that the mighty country of Kazakhstan actually sent their greatest export to liven up the proceedings (scroll down). Coming soon: The Borat Movie.

2006-07-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Frank Miller will adapt and direct "The Spirit," based on comic legend Will Eisner's classic strip, for Odd Lot Entertainment and Batfilm Prods.

From Slashfilm.com:
"I intend to be extremely faithful to the heart and soul of the material, but it won't be nostalgic. It will be much scarier than people expect," said Miller.

Miller will be writing a a treatment that consists of panels from the original comic strip. Shooting is expected to begin in late spring.

Miller will be announced as the film's director at Comic-Con on Saturday. Look for lots of silhouettes, dames, and tough-guy dialogue.

2006-07-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

A very brief first day report from Comicon International over at Foxatomic.com

Dave Hill interviews a character who introduces himself as "Caveman/Robot" (very Kochalka-esque) and it takes a funny turn right from the start when Hill innocuously asks "Are you actually this tall or is this prosthetic?"

Caveman/Robot's snotty reply: "There's a little thing called suspension of disbelief, I don't know if you're aware of it?"

Hill's response: "Well you don't have to be a dick about it."

2006-07-19T22:18:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo News:

Hey fanboys, ever want to lick Wonder Woman? It'll only cost you .39 cents a pop.

The US Postal Service unveils a new sheet of superhero stamps at this week's ComicCon in San Diego. The stamps go on sale to the public on Friday, July 21. The stamps only feature DC Comics heroes ranging from obvious choices--Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman-- to the slightly less obvious, Plastic Man and Hawkman.

2006-07-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

Is it a website or a TV Channel? I have no idea. But the site/channel G4 will be televising live coverage from San Diego Comicon International on July 21. So if you can't be there (like I can't) you can revel in what's sure to be annoyingly geeky coverage of Comicon.

2006-07-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Superman in IMAX is pretty damned impressive. I've always thought that Superman was far and away the most boring of all the superheroic icons, but Bryan Singer was able to pull out all the warmth and beauty in the myth and splash it onscreen like a lovely, muted watercolor.

2006-07-08T17:47:00.000-07:00

This mass email just went out from Harry Kim, Director of the soon-to-classic David Choe biopic DIRTY HANDS. You don't have to know anything about Choe's work to find him fascinating. I truly believe this will go down with Crumb and American Splendor as one of the best movies about an artist(cartoonist/tagger/redemptive punk) ever.

Let the jealous naysayers (some of whom I recently battled on a funnybook message board) go fuck themselves. Anyway here's Harry.

"To beloved friends, family, and everyone in between,

DIRTY HANDS TRAILER

It's been years of work on this film, Dirty Hands, which started with Johnny Granado's enthusiasm about David Choe's art, and ended up being a movie about Dave's goth conflicted trip. Good times. So now with a crew assembled, a website up, and a finished cut projected by this winter, we're ready to let people know that this film is getting out there.

After discussing with my girlfriend about selling blood for the film, I told her I would give my left kidney to get this done. Keep me out of the clinics by spreading the word. I broke my ass already, I've paid enough dues. We've got the trailer up on the website for you to check out.

So pass this on and let anyone and everyone you know about this film. Urge those people to pass it on and if they have any thoughts, to post up in the forum. We'll also have a myspace up soon."

2006-07-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

There's piece on legendary freaky-stylee comics artist Basil Wolverton written by Kenny Scharf in the latest Juxtapoz. I haven't yet read it, but I did scan in this panel. It's the most conventional comics piece to run in the article. Even Wolverton's "straight" stuff looks a bit askew but he certainly had a way with texture.

2006-07-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend at HeroesCon it was my distinct pleasure to be seated next to Dash Shaw (Goddess Head, and the forthcoming Mothers Mouth). Of the many things we chatted about, one was our mutual love of David Lynch's DUNE (Frank Herbert had a little to do with it as well). Dash, my girlfriend Michelle, and I seemingly could yammer on forever about Dune , so it was a delightful surprise when he cooked up this sketch that summarized the whole convoluted story in a single page. Given that he had no photo ref to work from I think that actually does look a little like a Fred Hembeck version of Kyle Maclachlan. It's amazing how real artists can somehow find the key features in a face to make it resemble their subject.

Anyway, THE SPICE MUST FLOW!

2006-07-05T23:02:00.000-07:00

So all three of you are probably wondering how HeroesCon went. Well, although I'll post little bits and pieces here in the coming days I decided to put a far more thorough report up on a site that people actually read. So check out my HeroesCon diary on Tom Spurgeon's The Comics Reporter.

It's good, it's good, it's good for you!

2006-06-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

Happy 20th Anniversary to Dark Horse Comics.

Over the years Dark Horse has provided a comfortable home for huge mainstream talents either disenchanted or underappreciated by the Big Two. Artists like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Paul Chadwick, Mark Shultz and Dave Gibbons.

Additionally they were at the forefront of bringing quality manga like Lone Wolf & Cub to a US audience decades before there was a Tokyopop or Digital Manga.

As if that weren't enough, the eclectic Dark Horse Presents anthology published everyone from Paul Pope to Harvey Pekar to Troy Nixey, and Renee French. Bringing those names to a wider audience.

Mistakes, they've made a few (quite a few, I'm sure...Barbwire) and the company was often easy to ignore as it lingered somewhere between ugly stepsister status to Marvel, DC, and Image on the mainstream side and more credible indie publishers like NBM, Drawn & Quarterly and Top Shelf on the other side. But the industry as a whole has been considerably more robust over the past two decades with Dark Horse churning out a broad variety of comics, than it would have been if DH had never existed. And for what it's worth Sin City and Hellboy proved pretty damned entertaining films, with Miller's 300 waiting in the wings.

2006-06-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

I'll be at HeroesCon in Charlotte on the sunny Indie Island Friday-Sunday (June 30-July 2). The Guest List this year looks sweet--Los Brothers Hernandez (including Mario!), James Jean, Jordan Crane, Dash Shaw, Peter Bagge, Warren Ellis, Steven Weissman, Jeffrey Brown, (and a bunch of other people even less famous than me) so stop by and say "hi."

2006-06-24T03:01:00.000-07:00

I was researching something else and followed a link to a review of Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr.'s new version of The Eternals. Having some fondness for Kirby's Eternals from the 80's, it may be one of those rare mainstream comics in which I check out a few issues. It's interesting to see what Gaiman can do with Kirby's playthings, and I've always really liked Romita Jr's art whenever I've stumbled across it (I've probably only seen a few dozen of the hundreds upon hundreds of comics he's drawn over his career).

Anyway the covers are drawn by Rick Berry and really, what's not to like?

2006-06-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

Check out a few of DAVID CHOE 's stunning paintings (colored with soy sauce and piss) done during his incarceration in Japan. The full story on how and why Choe was arrested in Japan, as told by Choe himself, ran in Giant Robot #33.

Also dive into some incredibly half-assed attacks on Choe from people who should know better.

2006-06-15T02:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah I've got World Cup Fever! Today I enjoyed the great finish to the Tunisia vs. Saudi Arabia match which finished 2-2 thanks to each country scoring a goal in the final minutes. Also Germany's gripping 1-0 result over a tough, but overmatched Polish team that played the fateful final 15 minutes down a man.

Now I anxiously (but nervously) await the US vs. Italy on Saturday. The Americans who only looked comfortable passing the ball backwards against the Czech Republic (which routed the US 3-0), is going to have to play with controlled fury and abandon if they're going to save face (and this World Cup appearance) against Italy. Bring on Eddie Johnson who I thought looked unstoppable in several "friendly's leading up to the Cup. And for godsakes serve some balls to Donovan and McBride in the box. C'mon yanks!

2006-06-15T01:18:00.000-07:00

Ted Rall on the far left is actually getting lumped in with rightwing Aryan nutbag Ann Coulter as a result of Coulter's recent verbal attack on the widows of 9/11. Rall, of course. famously drew the fiery ire of conservatives (and more than a few liberals) as a result of his infamous "Terror Widows cartoon in 2002.

On his blog Rall writes of the Terror Widows aftermath:

"And the fall-out from "terror widows" was serious for me. Not only did I lose the Washington Post online website as a client, countless readers will always associate "Ted Rall" with "9/11 widows." It's not like I don't do other stuff besides making fun of the widows and widowers who, like Lisa Beamer and Ted Olsen, exploited their spouse's deaths to promote books, their fringe religious beliefs or wacky right-wing political agendas on national television--but you'd never know it to read some accounts.

And there were the death threats, of course. I wonder if Ann Coulter will get any of those?"

In Coulter's latest idiot tome she writes:

"These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."

Among Coulter's previous statements, she advocated the invasion of non-Christian nations after Sept. 11 and the deportation from the U.S. of "all aliens from Arabic countries." She said American Taliban John Walker should be executed to show liberals what happens to traitors. And she said the only real question about President Clinton was "whether to impeach or
assassinate."

ABCnews writer Phillip Elliot condenses more of Coulters wit, wisdom and hate-baiting here.

Ted Rall draws the following distinction between his and Coulter's take on the widows:

"[Coulter is] a lot meaner to the widows as people than my cartoon was, which explored the way specific media figures–Mariane Pearl, Theodore Olsen and Lisa Beamer–exploited their spouses’ deaths to make money or political hay."

The prolific Rall has himself two more books on the immediate horizon.

From Rall's blog:

"Not only is my new Central Asian travelogue/graphic novel/current affairs analysis SILK ROAD TO RUIN coming out this summer, there's another treat for fans of my cartoons.

AMERICA GONE WILD will come out this fall. It's a 160-page cartoon collection similar in format to SEARCH AND DESTROY, collecting my work from 2001 until now and featuring an introduction by hard-hitting UK Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell. A special bonus is my extremely lengthy behind-the-scenes discussion of the media shitstorms surrounding my most controversial cartoons, including "Terror Widows", "FDNY 2011" and those about Pat Tillman. Here for the ages is the hate mail and death threats I received, my personal interactions with personalities like Bill O'Reilly, etc.--all the dish you've always wondered about. Do I go too far? Find out in AMERICA GONE WILD."

And who among us wouldn't want a peek at Ted Rall's hate mail?

2006-06-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

He's Here, He's NOT Queer, Get Used To It!

Yahoo actually placed this item on their front page. Basically in the Marvel Comics "Civil War saga" (whatever that is?), Spider-Man unmasks himself to the stunned press stating "I'm proud of who I am, and I'm here right now to prove it." Spidey went on to add "My two movies made a billion fucking dollars so you fanboys can bite me!"(Okay I made that part up).

"It's about which side you are on and why you think you are right," said Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada. (Kinda like the Civil (court) War 'tween Ted Rall and Dirty Hellman. Cartoonist brother fighting cartoonist brother in a bloody war waged by pseudonymous scum on internet message boards. Some of them boys got too much lead shot floatin' 'round in their skulls if you know what I mean.)

Read the full story here.

2006-06-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

An interesting interview with DC Editor (and former Dark Horse and Oni man) Bob Shreck at the Comicbookbin.
I may be wrong (if that's even possible) but I believe Shreck was instrumental in bringing Paul Pope into the fold at DC.

2006-06-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview with The Ganzfield's Dan Nadel from the Washington Post. Nadel was scheduled to give a slideshow presentation on early twentieth-century cartoon strips at the MOCCA art festival this weekend.

2006-05-28T03:23:00.000-07:00

Alex Toth, 1928-2006

Rest in Peace. His son wrote that Toth died at his drawing board which not only seems fitting but also somehow less sad than in some cold hospital.

Toth was an incredibly influential artist well-known among fellow creators, but he never seemed to get his due among the wider readership. Perhaps it's because unlike Kirby or Ditko he wasn't immediately connected with the creation of iconic characters for the big two publishers. Unlike Wood or Kurtzman he wasn't readily associated with a trailblazing publisher like EC, or a similarly trailblazing magazine like Mad. And unlike Eisner or even the great Hugo Pratt (who shares much with Toth in terms of style) he had no single great character to call his own like The Spirit or Corto Maltese, respectively. Toth's biggest audiences came through the viewership of popular cartoons like Superfriends, Space Ghost, anf Jonny Quest. But probably most were unaware of Toth's role as character designer, in which he parted ways with his reknown black shadows for beautifully simple outline drawings reminiscent of C.C. Beck.

Toth's passing will no doubt bring a renewed focus on his life and his work, bringing new fans into the know and influencing budding artists captivated by his brutishly sexy approach to comics art.

2006-05-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

A great preview of Harvey Pekar's next graphic novel, Macedonia, expertly illustrated by artist Ed Piskor.

Looks like Pekar is venturing a little into Joe Sacco territory with this one, although in true Pekar fashion it looks more like narrative slice-of-life focusing on a single individual (not even Harvey!), than an overtly political treatise on the Baltics. Piskor claims he's finished 126-pages of the 150-page story, so the end is nigh.

2006-05-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

TCI Podcast is now splashed across iTunes so you can subscribe there and it will automatically update whenever there's a new episode. Lovely.
In fact I've recorded 2/3 of the next one and should have it finished and uploaded tonight, so check it.

2006-05-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Spanking new TCI PODCAST with talk about assholes, demagogues, Mike Diana, Turkish Phantom, Bollywood comics, CLAMP, and plenty more. Plus some equally shiny bumpers and music from Alister Doom. Check it, don't wreck it.

2006-05-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

From the Honolulu Star Bulletin: Cell phones are the next breeding ground for comics.

"The field is called "mobile comics," or mcomics. Barefoot Software of Hong Kong (www.s60comics.com) is already scouring the earth for cartoonists to provide content for cell phones. The software Barefoot provides takes scanned comic art and adds digital functionality, allowing the cell phone screen to be used like a peephole onto the comics page. One of the criteria was that users could navigate with one hand, and the mcomic program can be downloaded free."

Interested artists should contact sales@s60comics.com

2006-05-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

An interview with James Kochalka at Youthradio.org conducted by Victor Vasquez (presumably no relation to Jhonen).

2006-05-04T16:07:00.000-07:00

A short interview with Stan Lee. No new insights here, and certainly they could do a little line spacing to make it more readable.

2006-05-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

A smart piece covering the latest Alternative Press Expo (APE) at Bookslut.

2006-05-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

Yet another Jhonen Vasquez interview, this time by a High School student at YouthRadio.org.

2006-05-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

BLK/MRKT welcomes NY-based Tara McPherson back to LA with a comprehensive 65-piece retrospective of her unique and much applauded rock concert posters. May 6th - June 1st, 2006

OPENING RECEPTION is SATURDAY, MAY 6th, 6-10pm

STEREOLAB, DEPECHE MODE, THE MELVINS, THE HIVES, MODEST MOUSE, SLEATER-KINNEY, KRAFTWERK, AIR, GREENDAY, RILO KILEY, BECK, SHONEN KNIFE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, BRIGHT EYES, THE FAINT, THE DECEMBERISTS, DURAN DURAN, THE FUTUREHEADS, THE MARS VOLTA, RAZORLIGHT, ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, HIGH ON FIRE, ISIS, BLUES EXPLOSION, THE GOSSIP, DEATHCAB FOR CUTIE, THE STILLS, BLONDE REDHEAD, THE SHINS, SUPERSUCKERS, THE FALL, THE RAPTURE, THE STROKES, INTERPOL, THE DANDY WARHOLS, PJ HARVEY, SUPERGRASS, ELVIS COSTELLO, THROWING MUSES, THE ROOTS to name a few….

Limited rare and previously unavailable posters on sale in addition to the L.E. BLK/MRKT exhibition poster (shown) Contact BMG for advanced sales.
ABOUT THE GALLERY: BLK/MRKT Gallery was established in Los Angeles in 2001 with an emphasis on urban contemporary art and has become a premier west coast destination for artists and enthusiants alike. Artists include Tiffany Bozic, Jeff Soto, Dave Kinsey and Ben Tour.

6009 WASHINGTON BLVD., CULVER CITY, CA 90232 310 837 1989 blkmrktgallery.com

2006-05-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

By now everyone paying attention to the news knows that my homeboy(nah, I don't know him, but he's from my hometown) Stephen Colbert ripped Gee Dubya a new one while hosting The White House Correspondents Dinner. What? Did those idiots really think that Colbert was the faux Fox News blowhard that he plays (skewers) each night on his show? Who booked this thing? Either way let's here it for subversives. Colbert slips in as a genial TV comedian/commentator with perfect Republican hair and proceeds to fucking shred the Bush Admin. in a way few "legitimate" politicos ever could.

Anyway, what's interesting is that there were a multitude of videos of Colbert's speech uploaded onto YouTube within 24 hours of the event.

Then, less than a day later, every video has since been removed (although they show up under YouTube's "Most Discussed" header). Now when you click a link to one of the videos you instead get a red-letter message saying it has been removed due to "copyright infringement." Of course what's amazing about this is that among the same list of available video clips are innumerable anime like Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist, Inuyasha, and Bleach; yet none have been deleted due to "copyright infringement."

YouTube allows its viewers to "flag" explicit and/or copyrighted content.
You can't help but wonder if red-faced conservatives came along and flagged all the Colbert videos? Maybe they cain't handle tha truth? Just the same you can read a transcript of the the blistering speech HERE (and maybe see the video as well). Or HERE

A sampling: "Wow, wow, what an honor. The White House correspondents' dinner. To just sit here, at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what? I'm a pretty sound sleeper -- that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face. Is he really not here tonight? The one guy who could have helped."

2006-05-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is not about comics, but I'm posting this almost as much to remind myself not to forget about it as I am in the hopes that others will be equally shocked and disgusted.

Canned hunting of albino lions, cheetah, leopards, hippos, and even white rhinos and giraffes!

Mankind makes me sick.

Btw the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) basically thrives on programs displaying all manner of such deplorable carnage usually hosted by inbred yahoos hiding behind the veil of "necessary culling" and "proper resource management". Can we get this bloodthirst porn removed from Comcast and other cable providers? Now that Lance Armstrong is no longer riding the Tour de France (which OLN carried annually) it's safe to say this network has outlived its sole worthwhile endeavor.

2006-04-22T01:45:00.000-07:00

Great new power pop from Jack White and friends.

2006-04-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the great Spanish surrealist Joan Miro (Born April 20, 1893).

2006-04-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Dash Shaw to invent an insanely brilliant new map for RISK "the game of world conquest." Who knows what inspired this, but I grew up playing Risk, which is kind of like shooting craps while taking a geography quiz, so I dig it. Still I miss Kamachatka and Yakutsk.

2006-03-23T15:49:00.000-08:00

Just caught V For Vendetta two nights ago. It's a solid film and Hugo Weaving's usual hamminess is considerably toned down by the ever-present iron mask V wears. Really the mask which is modeled after British revolutionary Guy Fawkes who once plotted to blow up Parliament, is a marvel of design. And we all know how bad costuming like say rubber-nippled bat suits, and plastic Green Goblin masks, can chip away at the credibility of fantasy films. When you're asking fo poetic license from an audience, god is in the details.

Far from playing the role of the hapless victim as one critic described her, Natalie Portman is not only the conscience of the film, but both victim and aggressor; and in the end the final arbitrator of V's agenda. Her ultimate decision at the end of the film is only surprising when compared to the safe, politically correct options typically chosen by a Hollywood establishment afraid of affecting the bottom line. After all, how many people saw Syriana or Goodnight, and Good Luck?

The movie itself, while a bit heavy-handed, still has its share of thrills. I don't know how thought-provoking it really is since I think most of what it puts forth (ie. fascism is bad and rebellion in the face of it is possibly a noble pursuit) is neither terribly profound or surprising.

Essentially V is preaching to the choir. I seriously doubt people who believe imperialism is a wonderful thing and that Dick Cheney is something other than a shadowy, despicable war-profiteer will ever see this movie.

One interesting aspect of the movie is that it basically plays off of a central theme in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. That being that governments (specifically the Bush admin.) propogate baseless fears to manipulate and distract its populace; and that the media is complicit in aiding the government in this effort.

2006-03-08T01:41:00.000-08:00

An expert video mashup of Cowboy Bebops visuals and Sin City's dialogue makes for a better trailer than what Hollywood can usually muster.

2006-03-08T01:22:00.000-08:00

Jhonen Vasquez interviewed on some television show. I'm not a fan of Vasquez' work and yet he seems like an interesting enough character. Listen for the opening announcer pronounce Jhonen as "Yo-Hon" (strange he doesn't look remotely Norwegian). Vasquez calls him to the carpet on that one almost as soon as he sits down with the show's host.

2006-03-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

PAUL POPE INTERVIEWED on a podcast by the guys at Comics News Insider. There are two parts, the first is a phone interview with Pope about his latest Batman: Year 100. The second part is from an after party following a signing with John Cassaday at Midtown Comics and features Pope, Chris Pitzer from Adhouse, some fans, and even Pope's proud mom.

2006-03-03T21:59:00.000-08:00

OTAKU DEFINED AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MAID CAFES

Check this great video-podcast from the fellows of Yamato Damacy about what the Japanese themselves think of the term "Otaku". Also see a man in a leather (pleather?) cloak, and the tip of the iceberg of the bizarre "maid cafe" phenomenon.

2006-02-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Toby Radloff, Genuine Nerd.

You know him you love him from Harvey Pekar's American Splendor. Check out Toby's Genuine Nerd Movie Trailer (shot by Radloff's personal videographer Wayne Alan Harold of Lurid Entertainment).

Year's ago when MTV once used Toby for a series of promos in the 80's and Kurt Loder profiled him, I simply couldn't believe he wasn't acting. But decades later Toby remains intact and it's no act. You couldn't create this guy if you tried. A true American original.

2006-02-22T01:19:00.000-08:00

Joe Sacco faces off with Art Speigelman over the Danish cartoon furor at The Nation

It's a sad day when a cartoonist like Sacco feels the need to advocate self-censorship as a means of placating extremists.

Will this controversy cause cartoonists and graphic artists to self-censor their work more frequently?

SACCO: No. I think maybe the idiot cartoonist should feel a need to be a little more self-censoring, when it comes down to it, but a thinking cartoonist weighs what he or she is doing. Frankly, I don't give a damn about these Danish cartoons. In the end, yes, there is a principle about the freedom of expression that concerns me, but I'm always sorry to have to rush to the defense of idiots.

A cooler head prevails in this case thanks to Speigelman (who knows what it means to be allowed to offend, as he offended much of the NYC establishment with his New Yorker cartoons on the Amidou Diala shooting years ago).

SPIEGELMAN: There has to be a right to insult. You can't always have polite discourse. Where I've had to do my soul-searching is articulating how I feel about the anti-Semitic cartoons that keep coming out of government-supported newspapers in Syria and beyond. And, basically, I am insulted. But so what? These visual insults are the symptom of the problem rather than the cause.

In 1897 politicians in New York State tried to make it a major offense to publish unflattering caricatures of politicians. They were part of a Tweed-like machine who didn't like insulting drawings published of themselves, so they spent months trying to get a bill passed and to make it punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

What happened?

SPIEGELMAN: It got killed. We have this thing called the First Amendment that was in better shape, maybe, then than now.

2006-02-19T18:46:00.000-08:00

MAGAZINES ARE STILL TITLING ARTICLES SOCK! BOP! POW!

Fayetteville State University will hold an exhibition of comic art titled Blam! The exhibit will showcase at least 40 framed comic books and scanned excerpts, original sketches and at least one rare lithograph. The exhibit is dedicated specifically to superheroes from 1963 to 2006 and will run until March 24.
"Part of putting on this show is getting people to understand it's not just for kids anymore. I'm so excited about this. I'm hyped like a 4 year old in a candy store." said event organizer and FSU art instructor Jonathan Chestnut (in an unfortunate quote that sounds suspiciously childlike).

2006-02-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

ULTIMATE AVENGERS FIRST OF EIGHT STRAIGHT-TO-DVD ANIMATED FILMS

(from NYtimes.com)

"Ultimate Avengers," the first of eight direct-to-DVD superhero projects from Marvel and Lions Gate, essentially retells a story from the comic book. "We have to be true to the original storyline," said Steve Beeks, president of Lions Gate. "That's what the fans are going to want."

The idea is to make movies intended for a niche audience at a relatively low price. The animation work for "Ultimate Avengers" was done in South Korea, and such projects could be made for "less than $5 million apiece," according to Mr. Beeks. "But we're producing them in a way that they're going to look like they're much more expensive." He said that he expected "Ultimate Avengers" to sell 600,000 to a million copies.

2006-02-19T18:28:00.000-08:00

CONSERVATION COMICS FOR THE COMMONER

New Delhi:Spirit of the Forest is a comic book created to educate the Indian populace about forest conservation.
"A lot of research work doesn't get read, or reach the common man. We decided on a comic format to make it more readable for the common man" said Rukmini Shekhar director of the Delhi-based Viveki Foundation.

2006-02-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

DAVID CHOE'S CONGO BONGO
From the Congo to Colombo, can't stereotype my thing, yo!--M.I.A.

Every time you think Dave Choe is bullshittin' you about where he's been and where he's going next, he comes back with the 100% proof. Here are a few photos he forwarded from his latest amazing travels (& travails).

2006-02-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

Message to Dick Cheney: Please Take The President Hunting With You Next Time.

The real leader of the gang who couldn't shoot straight finally did something positive for America. Killing (well almost) two birds with one stone, so to speak, by taking out both a conservative lawyer and a fellow hunter with one shot.

Great work Mr. Cheney! Now get your saggy ass back up to Washington. There's work to be done in the House of Representatives. And don't forget your buckshot

2006-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

Support Denmark and free speech.

2006-02-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

One of the funniest cartoons yet about this whole matter.
[incendiary devices sold separately courtesy of Haliburton-Cheney Toy Division]

2006-02-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

EGYPTIAN NEWSPAPER RAN THE MOHAMMED CARTOONS IN OCT. 2005

From reknown Cairo-based blogger comes this remarkable item.

"they were actually printed in the Egyptian Newspaper Al Fagr back in October 2005. I repeat, October 2005, during Ramadan, for all the egyptian muslim population to see, and not a single squeak of outrage was present. Al Fagr isn't a small newspaper either: it has respectable circulation in Egypt, since it's helmed by known Journalist Adel Hamoudah. Looking around in my house I found the copy of the newspaper, so I decided to scan it and present to all of you to see."

He goes on to cite several examples where the governments of several Arab countries tolerated the subsequent outrageous protests resulting from the cartoons as a way of distracting from various recnt tragedies and unpopular new laws.

The infamous cartoons published on the
interior of the newspaper.

No news yet on whether angry torch-bearing mobs have turned away from Lego's corporate offices and are now heading post haste to burn down the pyramids.

2006-02-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

Headline Should Read: EU Contemplates Cowardly Capitulation to Religious Zealots

LONDON (Reuters) -

The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, an EU commissioner said on Thursday. In an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show "prudence" when covering religion. "The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression," he told the newspaper. "We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right."

Doesn't this prove the point of the cartoons in the first place. They were initiated to examine to what degree cartoonists would self-censor their own material (apparently because of the not-so-far-fetched concern that they may each end up with fatwas on their heads and suffer the fate of Salman Rushdie, or far worse that of Theo Van Gogh ). Now cartoonists themselves are not only afraid to tackle the subject of Islam, but entire nations...continents are capitulating.

You can't help but wonder once this furor blows over if we'll ever again see a cartoon depiction of Mohammed. Not that I really need to, but the very idea that violent proponents of a religion, any religion, are effectively truncating and censoring freedom of speech throughout the world is an incredibly offensive concept. Free-thinking peoples throughout the world should be angrily marching the streets in righteous protest. Putting leaflets on cars, singing "Freedom of Speech" ditties copping Arlo Guthrie's melodies, and banging on old typewriters. But nah...let's just try not to upset the slavering maniac in the corner of the room, and hope he'll go away. Until our next offense.

2006-02-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

Composer Yoko Kanno, best known for the bluesy score on Cowboy Bebop as well as Vision of Escaflowne, and Ghost In The Shell: Standalone Complex, has a Myspace site (or at least someone has created one in her honor). Either way, it's a score for Kanno/Ghost in The Shell fans, as four songs from Standalone Complex are available for free download on the page. This includes SAC's ethereal theme song Inner Universe, and Lithium Flower another Japano-blues number familiar to SAC fans.

2006-02-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

MOST ABSURD GOOGLE ADS TO RUN ON TCI's WEBSITE
(and the site pages they are or were attached to)

Review of Jaime Hernandez' Penny Century
Ethiopian Singles (I have no idea what metafile or keyword generates this one)

Review of Ted Rall's Generalissimo el Busho
Meet Republican Singles (ugh, I'd rather eat them than meet them)

Review of Paul Pope's Heavy Liquid
Dove Self-Esteem Fund (Self-esteem for young girls. Um yeah)

Paul Pope interview
Anti-Terrorism Degrees (well this was generated by a specific question about Bush's "War on Terrorism". Oh, I hope they don't wiretap my phone now because I mentioned "terrorism" on this blog.)

2006-02-08T01:52:00.000-08:00

Captain America goes Libertarian? Paul Pope (Left) appears with one of the "Baby Batter Twins" at the annual Superhero Ball (Jan. 13, 2006). Pope may actually be one of the few noteworthy comics artists out there who can sport the spandex stars and stripes without looking like he's expecting twins.

2006-02-08T01:48:00.000-08:00

This has since been posted on Seth Fisher's website. Damn he was too young.

"It's much too soon,
but the Flowering Nose
will flower no more.
Seth has died.
July 22, 1972 - January 30, 2006

Monday, January 30th Seth Fisher died accidentally from a fall. His death was sudden, swift, and a great loss to us all. His funeral and cremation occurred on February 2nd in Nagoya. Condolences can be sent to his wife Hisako and son Toufuu via the contact information on this site."

2006-02-03T23:19:00.000-08:00

The sudden and tragic death of artist Seth Fisher, the result of a fall from rooftop in Japan, has resulted in a considerable outpouring of sympathy and sadness throughout all the disparate tribes of the comics community. Fisher's amazingly vibrant artwork seemed a perfect amalgam of manga and euro styles mixed with a considerable measure of the artist's own apparently unlimited imagination. He will be sorely missed.

From Chris Arrant at Newsrama:

" The following open e-mail has been sent to Fisher�s friends from his relative, April Fisher. It reads:

Dear Friends of Seth,

I've just hung up the phone from talking with Vicki (Seth's mother) in Japan. She is with family and friends at the wake. She was overwhelmed when I told her so many people are talking about him online, in blogs and forums. She thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers. It seems Seth fell seven stories off the roof of a club in Osaka. The autopsy revealed massive internal bleeding and suggests that he died instantly.

The funeral in Japan is on Saturday. Condolences may be sent to Hisako (his wife) at:

Hisako Sugiyama
Miyoshi Building 3C
2-13-8 Matsubara
Naka-ku Nagoya-shi
Aichi-ken 460-0017
Japan

There will be a service at Sacred Heart in Coronado (San Diego) when his mother returns from Japan (at least a week from now). The church will have the details (http://www.sacredheartcor.org/):

Sacred Heart Parish
655 C Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118
619-435-3167 "

2006-02-02T23:30:00.000-08:00

I was genuinely shocked to come across a 6-page(!) feature on Paul Pope in WIRED, of all places. The tenuous connection between Pope's comics work and Wired's focus on all-things-technology comes as a result of Pope's forthcoming Batman: Year 100 set in the year 2039. Pope lends this interesting take on his future Dark Knight: "He's someone with the body of David Beckham, the brain of Nikola Tesla, and the wealth of Howard Hughes, who is pretending to be Nosferatu."

It's mentioned that Hollywood has been sniffing around Pope for years and is all the more intrigued in the wake of Frank Miller's success with Sin City. But Pope says he's "more likely to go into fashion design" than dip his toes in Hollywood's fickle waters. Although he admits he'll take their money. Also DC editor Bob Shreck(formerly of Dark Horse and Oni) calls Pope a "far-reaching visionary."

Unfortunately the piece (as is typical of big mags) is a little short on text and insight, but who can complain when Pope's sumptuous art is given over to several pages?

2006-02-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

Rare interview with Vincent Deighan (aka FRANK QUITELY) in the British "How To" magazine Digital Creative Arts which is geared towards graphic designers and illustrators.

Most interesting revelation is that Quitely learned Photoshop on the fly from colorist Jamie Grant so he could do a CD cover for crooner Robbie Williams (he's huge in Asia, believe me). Now Quitely has fallen in love with Photoshop and claims that as a result all his future work will be digitally colored. Unfortunately (because it may result in fewer comics) he's also looking to do more illustrative work in the future.

2006-01-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

2006-01-20T03:23:00.000-08:00

DAVID CHOE
Having seen the IFilm "Whales & Orgies" and now the five-minute trailer to "Dirty Hands"(the new title), I think Harry Kim's documentary on David Choe promises to be every bit as fascinating as Terry Zwigoff's "Crumb", albeit with hipper music and a lot more visceral action.

[quote]He's like some classic hero going though a series of life passages. He got to one where he had to leave behind some older traits.--Barron Storey[/quote]

Dunno when it will surface but look for Choe to be the one licking Elvira's left tit on the red carpet at Cannes sometime in the next few years.

2006-01-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

BACKSTABBERS AND OPPORTUNISTS

2006-01-17T18:11:00.000-08:00

Brand new review of Taschen's lushly illustrated MANGA DESIGN just online. And for those who don't like to read much more than a fast food menu, there are some pretty pics to look at too.

Oh, and click an ad! You don't have to buy shit, but by clicking you send about .3 cents of appreciation my way.

2006-01-17T17:09:00.000-08:00

Somehow refreshing to hear an Adam Ant song ("Goody Two Shoes") on a new Diet Coke commercial.
I also was excited, and in no way pissed off to hear M.I.A.'s "Galang" used in a Honda commercial. It's a fun song but in no way so sacred that it's somehow damaged by a few seconds of it transposed over a cruising economy car. Also it gave Maya a little more exposure (as if she needed it) and by her own account she made a shitload of cay-ash.

2006-01-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Interesting story in the latest Rolling Stone (#992, Jan 26 '06) on the famously mysterious Wachowski brothers, creators of The Matrix films. I just got the issue today so I've barely had time to even skim it, but lets just say that there's a good reason why these guys like to stay out of the public eye.

Perhaps unsurprisingly all the elements of fetish that appear in the Matrix are near and dear to the heart of at least one of the brothers and apparently manifest themselves in his personal life. Of course all good filmmakers (and artists) put their obsessions into their work, and frankly the odder the better in most cases, as it leads to something more original than what some braindead hack like Michael Bay can contrive while thieving from every obvious source they can dredge.

Anyway, while I'm hardly the biggest Matrix fan, this is an interesting story so more on it once I've read the entire piece.