New Specs & Other Folk’s Comics

Well all right, perhaps I went a little overboard with all those blogs last week. Because now I don’t really have much to tell you.

I had a whole thing planned, but changed my mind at the last minute.

I do have a whole pile of Google Alerts, but they are just people posting their comic book lists to the internet. I still don’t get why you would waste the time doing that. Its like posting your grocery list to the internet. No one cares dudes. Invest that energy elsewhere.

Since I’m not talking about my own comics book, let me briefly talk about someone else’s. I think I’ve recommended this book before, but if you like Atomic Robo even a tiny bit I think you will love Umbrella Academy. It’s sort of a superhero equivalent of Atomic Robo. And Gabriel Ba bites on Mike Mignola’s style WAY harder than I ever have, so it makes me feel better about myself. Gabriel and his twin Fabio also do the very awesome Casanova, written by my homeboy Matt Fraction. You can read Issue #1 HERE.

While we’re talking about other people’s awesome comics let me remind you that the best comic book ever survives on MySpace.

I also picked up the first two issues of BPRD 1946 and Abe Sapien: The Drowning #1, but I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. My initial impression is that while I love the art in both books, the more realistic styles don’t fit with the abstract and strange look I’ve come to associate with the Hellboy Universe. Having said that, the art is still gorgeous and Paul Azaceta is a really nice guy and fantastic artist, so I buy anything he illustrates. Pick up Potters Field BTW. According to my wife Paul is also criminally attractive. Like he’s pretty. And I must say he does look a lot like a Spanish Orlando Bloom, so yeah I guess I can see that. I, on the other hand, count myself lucky to not be criminally ugly these days.

Powell sent me a few pics he took while we were down in NYC two weekends ago for Mike Oeming’s birthday bash. I never photograph well, and its twice as bad when I’m lit. Observe:

 

I was a little annoyed that my new glasses hadn’t come in before driving down there. 5hrs each way with an old prescription that is totally wrong for me now was a little brutal. For years as a pilot I was always looking for moving targets miles off. Now I spend most of my time focusing on minute details a foot from my face.

Dorinda though it was a riot that I was standing at my desk trying to take pictures of myself. I prefer to think of it as just me being supremely narcissistic. Though in today’s world of Facebook and MySpace where everyone does this, most people would disagree –because to agree would be to label themselves shallow and self-absorbed as well. Of course, we recognize this anyway you dumb fucks.

“Why yes, I am wearing the same exact shirt as I was in NYC. And yes, OD Green looks awful with skin as pale and blotchy as mine.”

Dorinda offers a well articulated argument for not posting pics of yourself to the interwebs.

 

“Fuck off paparatzi!”

Nerds in love.

My cat’s breath smells like cat food.

“Workin’ on some new signature looks . . .

Y’know . . .for the ladies. Hey baby, wazzup?”

I’ve been trying really hard not to rant on my blog anymore. Maybe you’ve notices? Maybe not. But I have. But now I’ve got myself spooled up about MySpace . . I’ll be back in five minutes.

. . .okay, I’m better. The Widget is home from school so I just went and snuggled with her on the Sumo for a bit. Of course now I am repressing my rage at school being closed today. There is no snow. Its raining. And school is closed. Widget’s Brownie Troop Leader just called to say that Brownies are hardcore and they will still be meeting today. She had to call the school’s superintendent to ask why school was canceled today to see if she also should cancel. Are you ready for this? –they canceled because some people (some), who are living out on dirt roads, are finding them icy.

Lets pause for a big Yoga breath here. . .

NAMASTE MOTHERFUCKER!!!

 

So for the majority of us here in town who DON’T live on dirt roads there is no school.

I call Shenanigans on the Wilton NH School System. You guys really sucks sometimes. You know that 8 million dollar renovation for the school you want me to vote for? You’d better think twice then next time some yuppie out in the woods calls to tell you their driveway is slippery. And why renovate when the kids are never there?!

Poor Widget is going to be making up missed school days well into July at this rate.

Was that a rant? Maybe. I think I’ll let it roll this time though.

Lets end on a high note. Ronda has been tearing through Killer of Demons, so the mini-series should go to print on 2008. Here are a few pages. A quick note on Candie, and her butt/crotch shot in the second page. Before you start calling my a hypocrit know this; Candie is a stripper and Satan’s assasin. She’s supposed to be super slutty. The basic idea was that you should feel like a dirty old bastard when looking at every panel she is in. I was not and am not entirely comfortable with her as a character. But she did fit the story, and since she was specifically there to make fun of a stereotype I’m mostly okay with her.

Hopefully I’ll have my character sketches of The Sparrow done for next week so you can see the sort of female characters I like to draw.