I wasn't there, I know nothing.

Meg Lasswell writes about comics sometimes. She'll also be your friend, if you bring her coffee.











 

Reading makes your brain go "ping"



People I know say the darndest things

Other people are okay too, I guess






















 
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Monday, August 29, 2005

When did she turn into a person?

My little sister has awesome taste in music. And she's only 13.

We were talking on the phone yesterday, and she complained that people in Virginia only listen to country and rap, which is unfortunate but true. "So what music do you like?" I asked.

"Oh, I've been listening to Pink Floyd lately, but I really like The Who too, and Led Zeppelin, and Stevie Nicks."

I feel an overwhelming need to buy her CDs, now. Maybe some Flaming Lips, or Jefferson Airplane. The time is definitely ripe for the Fund for Encouraging Young People to Not Listen to Crap to roll into action. Anybody want to start a non-profit with me?

 

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Sailing, Sailing

There we were, aboard the Spirit of Dana Point, when a shout rose from the stern: "Here comes the Lynx!" Behind us appeared the many-sailed Lynx, larger and slower than the Spirit, but gaining on us. "Hands to tack!" shouted the captain. The crew ran to their posts, and waited. At the captain's command, the mainsail swung about, then the foresail, and finally the headsails crossed over and we swept around in a broad arc. The gunner shouted "Clear the deck!"and BOOM! We fired both canons on the Lynx. All hands cheered, and the day was saved.

Dude, that was totally my afternoon. Lori asked late last night if I wanted to see ships in San Diego today, and I was like "Well, I've got things to do, but I hate doing things, so okay!" It turned out to be the best choice ever, because we got to ride one of the tallships during a gun battle. We helped hoist the mainsail! Turns out that sucker's pretty heavy. And did you know how quiet and fast those big ships are when they get going? So neat.


aboard the Californian
the Lynx! hiss!
 

Saturday, August 20, 2005

At long last, the Comic-Con post

Okay, so I have been reading Harry Potter. That is my excuse. I still have a mound of graphic novels to wade through, but I know if I don't write this all down soon I'll forget it entirely. So. Highlights of Nerd Prom included:

  • Fondling a box full of original cells and sketches from Ralph Bakshi's "Wizards." I didn't buy one, because they were the $$, but it was crazy to touch something that left such a mark (scar?) on my childhood. He's working on something new, I hear.
  • Talking awkwardly to Jeffrey Brown, who seems to be at least as shy as I am. I asked him about how he organizes everything he puts in his autobiographical comics, and he showed me a beautiful little sketchbook with one of his scripts folded in it. His handwriting was microscopic and dense, big red squares of text interspersed with a few very loose sketches. It was somehow exactly what I'd have expected, if I'd been expecting things. He, too, is working on something new. I'm not sure if it's autobiographical or not, but it was what he was laying out in the tiny book. He signed "Clumsy," "Unlikely," and "Miniature Sulk" for me.
  • I FINALLY met the lovely and talented Jeph Jacques! I did not throw myself at him, as was the plan, but I'm pretty sure his friend who was hanging out tried to hit on me. I was too "wuh buh guh?" to really catch on.
  • At the table with Jeph (they are Dayfree Press brothers) were the White Ninja boys. They seemed really gratified when I looked at the sample page they handed me as I was wandering by and shouted "Oh you're White Ninja! I love White Ninja!" I bought a book from them and they did the BEST SKETCH EVER in it. Someday I will finish setting up my scanner, then you will see.
  • I talked to R. Stevens about Pirates and Ninjas. I think they are natural enemies, but he tried to convince me that they fight together against the Vikings, who are angry because they don't get enough fiber in their diets (this from the proprietor of the "PoopJournal"). Also he told me that he does Diesel Sweeties with just a rectangular brush in photoshop, and a lot of cutting and pasting. And occasionally Google Images. NEAT.
  • Also at the Dumbrella table, I talked to Jeffery Rowland, who told me how he and John Allison were drinking one night and came up with John's "The Child" storyline and Jeffery's pet zombie cat, Joanna. And though there are East, West, North, and South hamptons, there is no Hampton. Jeff just moved to Easthampton, with R. Stevens. Jeph Jacques lives in Westhampton. It is a webcomics mecca.
  • Tenacious D played a free concert to promote their upcoming movie ("Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny"), and Lori and I went to see them. Lori was confused (she'd never heard of the band), but I thought it was pretty much a hoot. Hoot! The best was Jack Black's long spiel about how he played all the songs in the movie live except for one, where he had a small backing track, and then proceeded to pose like a rock god and wail on an invisible guitar while Kyle sipped water and waved one hand in front of his own strings, all as a complete song played. "Small backing track" my ass. It was pretty silly, but that's what you'd expect.
And now ... pictures!

There was a real set from "The Corpse Bride" on display, and a guy demonstrating how the animation worked. He had a computer and a camera, and you could watch what he'd animated so far as the Con progressed. It took a long time.


Tim Biskup's "Helper"


General Grievous, and an assistant


The Meg, The Backpack, and The Wardrobe

How nice was this Bristol place? Nice. I would absolutely stay there again.


Not your average crappy hotel art. On the shelf, in a bowl, floats a fresh gerbera daisy blossom.


Hotel bathrobes: We are in the big leagues now.

And that's mostly it!
 
 
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