Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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Monday, March 29, 2010
The Big Con
Another year, another successful Planet Comicon.
It was around this time last year that I was wandering around the booths at the Overland Park convention center, wearing my bright yellow "Zombietowne" t-shirt and trying to impress people with my spiral-bound, floppy "Shrinking Universe" trade. I had only a few to give out, and I had to strategically choose my best bets. To other people, I sold t-shirts (or gave them away).
One year later, and so much has changed. Not as much as I'd like, but a little.
I hit up many of the same people I spoke to last year: B. Clay Moore, Daniel Spottswood, Holly Messinger, some tall guy who owns a comic book shop and bought a t-shirt from me to be supportive.
What was great was that most of them remembered me. It helps that I was wearing that same bright yellow t-shirt, so even if they didn't remember me by name they at least knew who I was. It was nice to approach a booth and have the person immediately ask me how my book was coming. I felt almost like one of the gang.
What was even better was that I could show them I had moved up a little in the world. I reached into my bag and pulled out my shiny, professionally printed books and handed them over. I felt much more legitimate, and it was a great ego boost--something I needed at this point in my fledgling career, uncertain if I really had the fortitude to keep going.
As a fan, it was also a very good con.
Actress Mira Furlan was there. She played Danielle Rousseau on my favorite TV show of all time, LOST. (I say "played" because I'm pretty sure she's not going to be in the final season, but we'll see...)
She was a great sport, especially when I asked her for what must've been one of the most unusual autograph requests of her career.
Being the huge LOST fan that I am, it didn't take long into my first issue of "Yellow" that I dropped my first reference to the show. During the introduction to the main character, Quinn Buckley, we hear his high school teacher say
"Continuing our discussion of Enlightenment thinkers, today we'll talk about Jean-Jaques Rousseau. Contrary to what you might think, he was not a crazy woman lost on an island."
Of course, I was referring to Miss Furlan's character (who herself was a reference to the philosopher). I was already excited that she was at the convention, although I had only considered having her sign my copy of the first season of LOST. When I remembered that reference, I became ecstatic.
At the second day of the convention, I approached her with the original page I drew that had that line on it, and asked her to sign it. She understandably wasn't really sure what I was talking about, or what was going on.
"Who is this for?" she said.
"Me. Just me," I replied.
"What are you going to do with it?" she asked.
"Uh, frame it and hang it on my wall for all time," I said back. She laughed and then asked where exactly I wanted it signed. The coolest part was when she stopped as she was starting to write her autograph and looked up and said, "This is really cool." Made my day.
Here's the page with her 'graph:
As a gift, I gave her a t-shirt, which she graciously accepted. And in return, she asked if she could give me a photo of her. I of course said yes, and picked out the coolest one of her as Danielle Rousseau, all dirty and jungle-fied. She signed it and handed it over and that was that. For a while.
Later, when I was getting ready to start thinking about leaving, I came by her table again and held up a copy of my comic.
"Do you have any kids?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Like...over thirteen?"
"Well, eleven."
"My comic is sort of PG-13, with the language."
"Oh, my son is so ready for that. Yeah, he's so ready for that."
So I handed over a copy of "Shrinking Universe" and "Spares." I started to tell her it's about zombies but not really (my usual, awkward, I-Don't-Really-Know-How-To-Summarize pitch). She took one look at the cover of "Spares" and said "Oh, he's going to love this." Then she read the description on the brain jar, and said it again with more emphasis. I think she really meant it. I started to walk away, grinning ear to ear, when I heard her say "This is great." I turned back and she was flipping through the book. "Great use of color," she said. I talked to her about it a little more, briefly, and then left again. I came back a moment later just to let her know that if her son does like it, my contact info was in the back and I'll send him whatever he'd like. I really hope he enjoys it that much. It'd be awesome to have Son-of-Rousseau as a fan!
Also at the con I picked up some LOST action figures, which I'd wanted for a long time. These were all new in the box, and quite reasonably-priced. First it was Charlie, which I got for Emily because that's her favorite character. He was $30, even though Amazon had him listed for $75. After that I went back and bought the other two, Jack and Locke, which were $75 together. (Locke alone, meanwhile, is worth at least $100 in some circles.) All of these figures are from McFarlane Toys, which went bankrupt years ago. They printed two series of LOST figures, and had a third planned. Now, however, no one is making any figures. The guy I bought them from said another company picked up the rights to make toys and has a line of 6-inch figures planned, but as for the McFarlane diorama-style figures I bought--they're already collector's items. I don't know if I'll ever sell them, but I can imagine someday they'll be worth quite a bit of money.
And that's my report from Planet Comicon 2010. Like I said: successful overall. Both as a fan, and as a creator. I don't think I made any new industry contacts per se, but it was a great way to re-energize me and remind me of where I want to be.
My goal for next year is to have my own booth at the con, and to have at least finished my second trade. That only means I have to finish two more issues, including the one I'm currently working on. Two issues in 12 months should be very doable. If I can be partway done with a third by next year's Planet Con, I will be a very happy guy.
Hope to see you there in 2011!
It was around this time last year that I was wandering around the booths at the Overland Park convention center, wearing my bright yellow "Zombietowne" t-shirt and trying to impress people with my spiral-bound, floppy "Shrinking Universe" trade. I had only a few to give out, and I had to strategically choose my best bets. To other people, I sold t-shirts (or gave them away).
One year later, and so much has changed. Not as much as I'd like, but a little.
I hit up many of the same people I spoke to last year: B. Clay Moore, Daniel Spottswood, Holly Messinger, some tall guy who owns a comic book shop and bought a t-shirt from me to be supportive.
What was great was that most of them remembered me. It helps that I was wearing that same bright yellow t-shirt, so even if they didn't remember me by name they at least knew who I was. It was nice to approach a booth and have the person immediately ask me how my book was coming. I felt almost like one of the gang.
What was even better was that I could show them I had moved up a little in the world. I reached into my bag and pulled out my shiny, professionally printed books and handed them over. I felt much more legitimate, and it was a great ego boost--something I needed at this point in my fledgling career, uncertain if I really had the fortitude to keep going.
As a fan, it was also a very good con.
Actress Mira Furlan was there. She played Danielle Rousseau on my favorite TV show of all time, LOST. (I say "played" because I'm pretty sure she's not going to be in the final season, but we'll see...)
She was a great sport, especially when I asked her for what must've been one of the most unusual autograph requests of her career.
Being the huge LOST fan that I am, it didn't take long into my first issue of "Yellow" that I dropped my first reference to the show. During the introduction to the main character, Quinn Buckley, we hear his high school teacher say
"Continuing our discussion of Enlightenment thinkers, today we'll talk about Jean-Jaques Rousseau. Contrary to what you might think, he was not a crazy woman lost on an island."
Of course, I was referring to Miss Furlan's character (who herself was a reference to the philosopher). I was already excited that she was at the convention, although I had only considered having her sign my copy of the first season of LOST. When I remembered that reference, I became ecstatic.
At the second day of the convention, I approached her with the original page I drew that had that line on it, and asked her to sign it. She understandably wasn't really sure what I was talking about, or what was going on.
"Who is this for?" she said.
"Me. Just me," I replied.
"What are you going to do with it?" she asked.
"Uh, frame it and hang it on my wall for all time," I said back. She laughed and then asked where exactly I wanted it signed. The coolest part was when she stopped as she was starting to write her autograph and looked up and said, "This is really cool." Made my day.
Here's the page with her 'graph:
As a gift, I gave her a t-shirt, which she graciously accepted. And in return, she asked if she could give me a photo of her. I of course said yes, and picked out the coolest one of her as Danielle Rousseau, all dirty and jungle-fied. She signed it and handed it over and that was that. For a while.
Later, when I was getting ready to start thinking about leaving, I came by her table again and held up a copy of my comic.
"Do you have any kids?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Like...over thirteen?"
"Well, eleven."
"My comic is sort of PG-13, with the language."
"Oh, my son is so ready for that. Yeah, he's so ready for that."
So I handed over a copy of "Shrinking Universe" and "Spares." I started to tell her it's about zombies but not really (my usual, awkward, I-Don't-Really-Know-How-To-Summarize pitch). She took one look at the cover of "Spares" and said "Oh, he's going to love this." Then she read the description on the brain jar, and said it again with more emphasis. I think she really meant it. I started to walk away, grinning ear to ear, when I heard her say "This is great." I turned back and she was flipping through the book. "Great use of color," she said. I talked to her about it a little more, briefly, and then left again. I came back a moment later just to let her know that if her son does like it, my contact info was in the back and I'll send him whatever he'd like. I really hope he enjoys it that much. It'd be awesome to have Son-of-Rousseau as a fan!
Also at the con I picked up some LOST action figures, which I'd wanted for a long time. These were all new in the box, and quite reasonably-priced. First it was Charlie, which I got for Emily because that's her favorite character. He was $30, even though Amazon had him listed for $75. After that I went back and bought the other two, Jack and Locke, which were $75 together. (Locke alone, meanwhile, is worth at least $100 in some circles.) All of these figures are from McFarlane Toys, which went bankrupt years ago. They printed two series of LOST figures, and had a third planned. Now, however, no one is making any figures. The guy I bought them from said another company picked up the rights to make toys and has a line of 6-inch figures planned, but as for the McFarlane diorama-style figures I bought--they're already collector's items. I don't know if I'll ever sell them, but I can imagine someday they'll be worth quite a bit of money.
And that's my report from Planet Comicon 2010. Like I said: successful overall. Both as a fan, and as a creator. I don't think I made any new industry contacts per se, but it was a great way to re-energize me and remind me of where I want to be.
My goal for next year is to have my own booth at the con, and to have at least finished my second trade. That only means I have to finish two more issues, including the one I'm currently working on. Two issues in 12 months should be very doable. If I can be partway done with a third by next year's Planet Con, I will be a very happy guy.
Hope to see you there in 2011!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Robot Rights
I've recently become fascinated (again) with the subject of artificial intelligence, and the future of the technology. Call me crazy, and you probably will, but I often wonder if some of the smart machines we take for granted these days aren't already, on some level, "alive".
After all, many so-called lower organisms, like insects, bacteria--even viruses, for crying out loud--are alive. A virus is barely even complex enough to be called an organism, yet it can apparently think and act of its own accord (or at least according to some internal, pre-programmed drive).
Even people, as apparently complex and sentient as we are, can be boiled down to layer after layer of biological processes. Evolutionist and author Richard Dawkins says we're essentially nothing more than transportation for our genes.
So the next time you turn on your Roomba--full of complex wires and programming--think about it a little bit. Is that little machine, all plastic and metal, really more like a giant, albeit "simple", carpet-cleaning animal? And if so, is it really all that absurd to imagine that at some point someone is going to demand that you treat that animal with respect? After all, there was a time when animals themselves were mistreated regularly, and the thought of "animal rights" was just as absurd as rights for your Roomba.
Think about it.
In the meantime, have a laugh at this paragraph I found in an article on the subject of Robot Rights written in 1985:
For your own unique AI experience, check out Jabberwacky.com. Try to hold a conversation with their resident "chatterbot" and then see if you don't question just what "sentience" really means.
(This post was inspired in part by the guys over at HowStuffWorks.com, who posted an interesting podcast on the subject. Look them up on iTunes and download all the knowledgey goodness.)
After all, many so-called lower organisms, like insects, bacteria--even viruses, for crying out loud--are alive. A virus is barely even complex enough to be called an organism, yet it can apparently think and act of its own accord (or at least according to some internal, pre-programmed drive).
Even people, as apparently complex and sentient as we are, can be boiled down to layer after layer of biological processes. Evolutionist and author Richard Dawkins says we're essentially nothing more than transportation for our genes.
So the next time you turn on your Roomba--full of complex wires and programming--think about it a little bit. Is that little machine, all plastic and metal, really more like a giant, albeit "simple", carpet-cleaning animal? And if so, is it really all that absurd to imagine that at some point someone is going to demand that you treat that animal with respect? After all, there was a time when animals themselves were mistreated regularly, and the thought of "animal rights" was just as absurd as rights for your Roomba.
Think about it.
In the meantime, have a laugh at this paragraph I found in an article on the subject of Robot Rights written in 1985:
By 2010, most new homes will offer a low-cost domestic robot option. ThisFunny, right? After your done laughing, become sad, because it only means that in 25 years we'll be looking back at the plans we had today and laughing at how optimistic and naive we were.
“homebot” will be a remote-controlled peripheral of a computer brain buried
somewhere in the house. Homebot software will include: (1) applications programs
to make your robot behave as a butler, maid, cook, teacher, sexual companion, or
whatever; and (2) acquired data such as family names, vital statistics and
preferences, a floor map of the house, food and beverage recipes, past family
events, and desired robot personality traits. If a family moves, it would take
its software with it to load into the domestic system at the new house. The new
homebot’s previous mind would be erased and overwritten with the personality of
the family’s old machine.
For your own unique AI experience, check out Jabberwacky.com. Try to hold a conversation with their resident "chatterbot" and then see if you don't question just what "sentience" really means.
(This post was inspired in part by the guys over at HowStuffWorks.com, who posted an interesting podcast on the subject. Look them up on iTunes and download all the knowledgey goodness.)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Comicon Is Nigh
So, I finally looked up the date for Planet Comicon in Overland Park this year...and it turns out it's next weekend. Not this weekend, mind you, but still soon.
Spoiler Alert! I won't have a table there!
Here's a breakdown of the reasons:
1) 50%, I dropped the ball. I could've checked a long time ago and verified exactly when it was, and then been prepared.
2) 50%, I wasn't prepared. I've made hardly any headway in Issue 5 of "Yellow" in the past six months (which incidentally is very depressing). Even if I had a table at the Con this year, I wouldn't have anything new to show off or sell. I suppose I could be working on #5 while I'm there, which might actually be more productive than my usual 1 or 2 hours a month.
Either way, I'm still planning to attend and have a good time. I'll probably be wearing a "Yellow" shirt again, as last year, and hawking copies of the comic to anyone who will listen. (I may even just give them away free this time...)
So come on down, see if you can find me, and support your local comic shop. Buy some junk you don't need why not.
Spoiler Alert! I won't have a table there!
Here's a breakdown of the reasons:
1) 50%, I dropped the ball. I could've checked a long time ago and verified exactly when it was, and then been prepared.
2) 50%, I wasn't prepared. I've made hardly any headway in Issue 5 of "Yellow" in the past six months (which incidentally is very depressing). Even if I had a table at the Con this year, I wouldn't have anything new to show off or sell. I suppose I could be working on #5 while I'm there, which might actually be more productive than my usual 1 or 2 hours a month.
Either way, I'm still planning to attend and have a good time. I'll probably be wearing a "Yellow" shirt again, as last year, and hawking copies of the comic to anyone who will listen. (I may even just give them away free this time...)
So come on down, see if you can find me, and support your local comic shop. Buy some junk you don't need why not.
Friday, March 12, 2010
For a Friend
A good man is going through some hard times right now. Topeka's Keith Van Sickle, radio personality, film critic, and comic book fan, has suffered a severe stroke and is laid up in a hospital. As I write this, he's probably about to be prepped for surgery to insert an oxygen hose into his throat.
Keith has been a good friend to my wife for many years, being a reliable and friendly work contact for her and everyone in her office.
As for me, Keith is the man responsible for getting me into the Slash & Bash Horror Film Festival last year with my comic, which was my first public outing with "Yellow." It's because of him that I met so many great people and was invited out to the I-Con in Iowa. Keith was a huge proponent of mine at his film festival, of course, and has continued to support me and expressed interest in even doing an interview with me on his radio show.
This is a picture I made for him, being the comic book nut that he is:
If you want a picture to show your support for Keith, let me know either via email or in the comments section. I won't charge anything, but if you want to make a small donation to pass along to the family that would certainly be appreciated.
(In case you're wondering, his chest and hat say "KVS.")
Monday, March 1, 2010
And now for something...
So what have I been up to you ask? Ever heard of a site called TotallyLooksLike.com? If you haven't, then you might not know that Rachel Maddow totally looks like Will Wheaton from Star Trek TNG, or that a 7-layer burrito from Taco Bell totally looks like a clogged artery. (No joke!)
Well here are a few others you might not have noticed, courtesy of yours truly. I'm pretty proud of them, I must say.
These two should work together...
moar funny pictures
I honestly thought they were the same person for the longest time.
moar funny pictures
These, too. It was only after Sydney Pollack showed up in an episode of "The Cleaner" a couple of years after his death that I began to suspect something was amiss.
moar funny pictures
What's sad is that the Olympic skier is still probably the better actor.
moar funny pictures
Proof that we really are descended from Adamas and Starbuckses? Hmm...
moar funny pictures
UPDATE! See below for more look-alike joy:
Well here are a few others you might not have noticed, courtesy of yours truly. I'm pretty proud of them, I must say.
These two should work together...
moar funny pictures
I honestly thought they were the same person for the longest time.
moar funny pictures
These, too. It was only after Sydney Pollack showed up in an episode of "The Cleaner" a couple of years after his death that I began to suspect something was amiss.
moar funny pictures
What's sad is that the Olympic skier is still probably the better actor.
moar funny pictures
Proof that we really are descended from Adamas and Starbuckses? Hmm...
moar funny pictures
UPDATE! See below for more look-alike joy:
You probably didn't realize how much these guys look alike. Let me educate you...
moar funny pictures
moar funny pictures
Just saw Dina Meyer in Starship Troopers, and remembered how much I think she looks like Keri Russell.
moar funny pictures
moar funny pictures
Incidentally, I also just saw Dina Meyer in an episode of The Mentalist, with Simon Baker, who I didn't realize totally looks like...
Here's another unexpected. k.d. lang's a pretty manly looking woman. It just so happens there's one girly-looking man she also looks like.
moar funny pictures
moar funny pictures
These aren't the best pictures to compare with, but anyone who has seen The Devil's Rejects must surely agree.
moar funny pictures
moar funny pictures
(For what it's worth, I think Crow is every bit as good a singer as Zombie is an actress.)
Well now that that's out of my system, maybe I can finally get back to working on the comic. For more, check out TotallyLooksLike. (For another of my favorites, try Comixed.)
Well now that that's out of my system, maybe I can finally get back to working on the comic. For more, check out TotallyLooksLike. (For another of my favorites, try Comixed.)
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