Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Three days...

Only three days until Wondercon, and I'm wondering why I have butterflies in my stomach. I already have a wife/girlfriend, it's not like I'm going on a date or anything. Why am I nervous?

Possible reasons:
- I've been reading horror stories from the NY Comicon.
- I'm going alone.
- I've never ridden the BART before.
- I don't know my way around San Francisco.
- I'm not an extrovert.
- I actually want to make contacts and bounce around script ideas.
- I hate crowds.
- I'm afraid I'll miss something.
- I'm afraid I'm going to piss off Mike Mignola.
- This is my first big con.
- This is my first con in roughly 15 years.

Aaaand I think that's the whole list. I feel like I'm 15 again.

When I was a kid, cons were fun, like birthday parties. Even when I went without any money, my friends and brothers were there, we'd get into trouble, and we'd have fun. We'd try new things (not substances). We'd talk to strangers. We'd waltz right up to folks with reputations and talk to them, because we had no idea who they were and why they were important.

About fifteen years ago I blew off meeting Colleen Doran because I was busy trying to trade a pile of Spawn Comics for some Lone Wolf and Cub issues. She drew princesses and crap. Am I kicking myself now? Dear me, yes.

I LARPed one time. Which was enough.

I met Chris Sprouse just as he was starting to pencil Robin. I never got his autograph because I only read Marvel or Dark Horse comics, and I thought DC sucked. I was that guy.

Our gang crashed so many roleplaying tournaments I was afraid we were going to be boycotted.

I met Roger Zelazny shortly before he died. I was an Amber fanatic. He asked me about my Tshirt, which is about the biggest compliment a distinguished writer can pay a depressed teenager.

I stayed up all night watching Vampire Hunter D and Akira and Black Magic M-66.

Maybe this is why I'm so nervous. Those were the good memories of my high school years. My positive high school memories compose a very short list. I guess I'm a little afraid I won't have as much fun this time around, and that I'm too much of a grown-up for all this.

I may be too responsible and firmly entrenched in reality to enjoy it.

Screw that noise. I'm going to go pick a fight with Darth Maul.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Do Yourself A Favor.


Go rent Orson Welles' Touch of Evil.

This film is ending my mostly unintentional Charleton Heston marathon.

It's meaty, morally ambiguous noir. The characters are people you've probably met, only with screwier lives. Heston's raw charisma is nearly overshadowed by the monolithic Welle's slouching silhouette in each of their shared scenes. This is two serious heavyweights going toe to toe, and it's great.

A car bomb goes off in a Mexican border town, which launches an investigation. Lives get ruined. People die. It's a great crime story.

At least check it out to see Heston playing a Mexican and Orson Welles slamming down candy bars.

Friday, February 16, 2007

A Call For Peace.

As our elected representatives debate the current status of the war, I would beg them to view the message below and solemnly consider their actions.



Biznizz. Yeah, c'mon.

I'm going to hell.

Check.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Busy, a bit.

Yesterday I read the entire Internet.

We got Kate to eat 14 whole bites of her dinner.

Finished plotting.

Wrote some.

Watched Lost, because I love my wife, and I got to sit next to her.

Dreamt about giant robots and robbing a Walmart (using said robots).

Friday, February 09, 2007

Con Plans, ah, yes, the Con Plans...

Okie dokie. Con season is rapidly approaching.

Here's the rundown:

I will definitely be at Wondercon on Saturday, March 3 in San Francisco.

Depending on how Wondercon goes, I will possibly be attending APE on Saturday, April 21 in San Francisco.

I plan on being at the San Diego Comicon. Probably will arrive the night of Wednesday, July 25, driving down. I may or may not be attending Preview Night. The room is already reserved, 1.4 miles away from the convention center, walking distance. I guess the room sleeps three, a queen bed and a couch, so if you need a place to crash, there you go. No one has confirmed yet. I will most likely have a rental car with Neverlost(tm), so foraging for food shouldn't be too insane. I plan on driving back on Sunday morning/afternoon. If you aren't coming, you're a sucka.

If you are wanting to meet up at any of these events, contact me through the usual channels.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Unique.

Dean Motter is a terrific comic creator.

Yes, I am excited. The guy who did Mr. X, The Prisoner adaptation, and Terminal sweet-jumping-Jupiter-on-a-pogo-stick City.

Fugitive meets Twilight Zone/Outer Limits.

Am I excited?

Yes, yes I am.

If this isn't fantastic, I will do your dishes. For like, an entire night.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Slipping Beauty Castle

Fan-freaking-tastic. Thanks Troy.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Bob Barker Says: Spay or Neuter Your Pets


Now I remember what I wanted to write about. I got the We3 trade paperback this week.

Strangely enough, this was the first Grant Morrison project I've ever knowingly read. My hardcore factor just smashed through the floor, headed directly towards the Earth's chewy molten center. I just haven't had the opportunity until now.

We3 depicts a dog, a kittycat, and a bunny rabbit who have been cybernetically enhanced by a defense contractor. The animals (or "aminals" as I will refer to them from here on out) are strays that were probably dog/cat/bunny-napped from their loving owners. They are domesticated. They're also trained to kill people and blow things up, which makes lot of sense to a defense contractor. They're also trained to speak, which makes less sense.

The aminals break free when they discover they're scheduled to be euthanized. The rest of the book details their escape and quest to head "Home." It's refreshing fare. No spandex anywhere. It's like a Disney animal movie gone awry: Fuzzy lovin' and heavy machine guns. Old Yeller vs. Terminator.

I liked it. However, there are weaknesses.

First, the panel layouts are fairly jumbled and confusing. Frank Quitely's layouts are given an 'A' for effort, because you know he was fighting for a fresh approach to the pacing, but my eye had trouble following the action, particularly in the fight scenes. This is particularly problematic because this is a comic book. If this were a poorly edited kung fu movie, some jolting sequences might make sense, but if a static page of artwork looks jumbled, its because it's jumbled. Fairly unforgivable in my idiotic opinion. Just didn't like it.

Second. The story was three issues. Which made for a very short story. The plot felt rushed. The first issue deals with the introduction to the characters and their escape. The second relates the escape. The third shows the conclusion and aftermath. The structure itself is fine, but it didn't provide enough time for me to change gears wildly and really inhabit the brain of a four-legged mammal. It felt like a missed opportunity to really dig in and see the unconditional love of domesticated animals juxtaposed with the programming of an unrestrained killing machine.

The good stuff. The art is excellent with clean lines, beautiful colors. The book just looks good, previous complaints aside. The design choices were really interesting, especially the construction of the creatures, which look like squat tank-like Macintosh peripherals. I think the sleek, pointy-stuff-all-over look has been done to death, and these animals just look, um, user-friendly.

And it's just a really good story. I cared about three scared little animals that kill people. I wasn't bogged down by pretentious metaphors or overtly preachy observations on the human condition. It is what it is. It's like an 80's action film.

Finally, bonus points for a really great original idea.

Note for the kiddies, the book is a mature readers title due to scenes of intense violence and gore. Which will only make you want to check it out even more.

Nos vemos.

Low point.

Yeah, things are pretty bad if the first thing you see on your website is a picture of Spawn.