NYCC Is Almost Here!

Well kids, its finally happened. How many times have you said to yourself: “Wouldn’t my life be complete if only I could sit down with Scott Wegener for coffee and a sketch?” If you’re even remotely sane you’ve probably never said this, or even thought about it before now.  But still, wouldn’t it be fun? Sure it would!

Here’s the deal -”This auction is for the opportunity to sit with, have coffee with, and have a sketch (an 8.5 x 11 pencil on bristol board) done for you at NYCC by Atomic Robo co-creator Scott Wegener.  This will be happening at 12P-1P on Saturday February 7, 2009 at the New York Comic Con.  This is your opportunity to pick the brain of the co-creator of the Eisner-nominated Atomic Robo.  There’s no shipping on this item  (we can’t find a box big enough to fit Scott in and then there’s those pesky air holes), SINCE YOU MUST BE AT THE NYCC TO CLAIM YOUR um, WINNINGS.

Winner must bring proof of ID and/or Paypal receipt to booth 2402 at least 15 minutes before the scheduled coffee break for Scott.” Visit Ebay for the details.

Okay enough about me. Lets talk about something interesting. Like snow.

It’s been snowing a lot here since we got back from New York. This past weekend was the first since December 20th that we’ve been home and how did we spend most of it? Shoveling. Better than the snow was the ice. I got a little sloppy during the week with my almost daily shoveling and kind of did a half-assed job on the end of the driveway -I was in a rush to get over to my crazy old father-in-law’s place so I could be reminded of how much I hate caring for the elderly. I know quite a few older folks in the community and a lot of them are really great. Dad just happens to be a jackass. And insane. He always was, but on top of that he now forgets what’s going on from minute to minute. So I hate caring for this particular old person.

Punching an 81yr old man in the face as hard as I can, and then throwing my head back, hands on hips, and laughing like the villain from a 1970’s kung fu movie as blood spurts from his shattered nose, is not a fantasy I ever expected to entertain. But it’s this mental image that allows me to get through most visits with nothing more than a little yelling -because he’s deaf (No I’m not!!), and a lot of teeth gnashing. But Dad’s always been there when we needed him -especially when the Widget was younger. So I’m indebted to him in a big way. But I don’t have to like it . . .

Anyway, while I’m at Dad’s the snow get’s slushy and when I get home I drive right through the little mound at the end of the driveway without a problem. Good enough, I figure. I’ve got work to do and that little bit of snow won’t hurt anything. But then the Town Plow comes by, creating a wall about a foot deep at the end of my driveway which freezes solid as night falls. Then it snows again, and it is nearly impossible to drive over it without removing the muffler and parts of the transmission from my car.

So I spent a solid two hours sweating my balls off with a steel bladed shovel and a 40lb iron bar bashing and hacking my way down to the pavement. I can’t really describe the pain I am currently experiencing. My lower back is exquisite -a symphony of stabs, twitches, and things that feel like ripping meat. But what really distresses me is the Eisner Hand. You know, the one I earn a living with? Despite the heavy gloves I was wearing it is covered in angry blisters and the joints of each digit are throbbing with pain. I can’t wait to see what Monday morning feels like.

Goddamn you Old Man Winter. And Goddamn you Town Plow!

I tried to sit at my drafting table and get a little work done on the next Robo page despite the mangled hands. But my back said no. No chance in hell fat boy. Your ass is broken -now go sit on the couch and write tomorrow’s blog. It doesn’t help that my new art stool, which is supposed to promote proper posture and be good for your spine, is uncomfortable as hell. My back does feel better and drawing is now a lot more comfortable. But my ass is killing me! And its a weird sort of hurt. The kind that seems to linger from day to day, so you’re always kind of tender -like pushing on an old bruise. It’s really disturbing. But Dorinda already swiped my old comfy chair, so I guess I’ll learn to like it.

Oh. Man. Speaking of my being all fucked up -Wii Fit told me that I’m obese. I know I’ve put on weight since starting this whole comic book thing. But obese? Is an extra 25lbs obese? I don’t know. I know I hate it though. My diet did help a little, but not much. I used to walk around town, but Wilton has a depressing lack of sidewalks and an alarming number of drivers who operating automobiles with their heads completely shoved up their asses. Couple that to freezing my ass off four months out of the year while out on these death defying walks and it was pretty much doomed to failure. But there was no way I was going to hop arround on a white thing in front of my TV so I finally joined a gym -like I’ve been telling myself I would for the past nine months. January is a stupid time to do this though because now I look like just one more pathetic New Years Resolution idiot, instead of the humongous procrastinator that I am.

-Comics Should Be Good!

-Atomic Robo Vol.1 TPB review.

-Dems Good Readin’ -another Vol.1 TPB review.

-Equality in Comics

- Friend and artists Frankie B. Washington.

And finally, because Potpies badgered me, here is a piece I am working on. This is a redesign of Crankshaft, who a few of you might remember from a couple years ago. Eventually I want to ink and color this and somehow integrate it into the website’s design.

RANDOM SPLENDOR

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