Seven weird superheroes

Here's seven weird superheroes that will, unfortunately, or maybe rather fortunately, never make it to big screen. I think I used to room with #4 in college...

Round 'em on up

Here's some thingies that I should post about before I forget:

My review of Black Static #3 is now live over at The Fix Online. A very stylized magazine that focuses on horror fiction. I really liked a few stories, and others did absolutely nothing for me. Or the genre, if you want to look at it that way.

This week, I pushed past my 300th comic for MyLifeComics. Kinda neat.

I, um, also beat Final Fantasy XII. Was easier than I expected, but then again I put a good 100+ hours into my characters, making them beefier than a field of cattle. I probably could've finished the game a long time ago, but my OCD kicked in and I needed to beat every hunt, find every magic spell, get the best armor and weapons, and so on. Anyways, I loved this game. The story is strong, the world is spanning, and its details are plentiful. My only complaint is that they make Vaan out to be the main character when, in all truths, Lady Ashe is the focal point of the story. But that's minor stuff. The battle system has even gotten me interested in MMOs. Not that I'd ever play one, but it has sparked my gamer's heart.

Hmm, movie-wise I've seen the following:

• No Country for Old Men (2007) - A quiet, slow-moving piece about violence out West. A bag of money is stolen from a deal gone bad, and a crazy, psychotic killer is tracking it down. What ensues is a methodical cat-and-mouse game that ends as it should, both depressingly and inexcusably real. Quite disturbing and quite beautiful, if that makes any sense. Definitely a film worth watching.
  
• I Am Legend (2007) - Vampire flick that really, honestly, was a big letdown. CGI monsters? Come on. This would've been so much more successful if they stuck with live-action actors. Will Smith is fine though, carries the film well enough, but I don't know. This just didn't scare me like I had hoped it would.
  
• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) - This is the story of two drag queens and one transsexual woman trekking across the Australian outback on a mission to perform at a casino in Alice Springs. Hugo Weaving stars in this one, and thank the heavens above I saw this before The Matrix or Lord of the Rings because seeing him all donned up in makeup and groovin' to Abba has forever changed his appearance to me.

And I think that's all for now.

Rainy morning

It's a cold, rainy morning here in New Jersey. And no work today. Woo! I still got up early because I have lots of things that need working on today. MyLifeComics, the Outback Guide comics, the WOTF story, the review of Black Static #3 for The Fix, and some Nintendo DS-ing. Yes, I have to consider DS-ing work just to make time for it. Oh well. Coffee's made, I'm in my comfy clothes, and ready to get to it...

Jack Kirby cover gallery

Yesterday was his birthday. He would've been 90 years old.



There's a kickass cover gallery of some of The King's work over at Marvel.com that is worth checking out. My personal favorites are his renditions of Thor and the early X-men. Kirby's style is both iconic and energetic, being an inspiration to all those that followed in his footsteps. Looking over all this, I'm reminded of a time when Photoshop didn't exist. When filters and glares were irrelevant. It was an era when pencil met paper, and a vision was created. The King did it so easily, so earnestly, and that's what is most admirable of his work.

Busy mailbox

Let's see, let's see. My mailbox has been pretty bloated lately, stuffing itself with a bunch of different meals. First, it's been snacking on four different rejections over the weekend (mmm, needs some salt!). These were mostly forms and have no effect on me whatsoever. The stories will be going back out some time this week.

Next up, a hearty meal consisting of a free copy of The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet and my contest prize, The Best American Comics: 2006. Yay, books!

And finally we come to dessert. My mailbox has no will power, and has decided upon an official certificate that marks me as a kickass member of the New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society. Yummers!

And even with all that, I'm thinking I should be getting a few more things in the mail this week. Still anxiously awaiting my contrib. copies for Murky Depths...

I'm a winner

Haven't felt like posting much this week. Or maybe it's because I haven't had much to post about. One of those. I'll let you decide.

But I did win a contest. So, you know, that's a plus. :)

Latest acquisitions

Let's see, let's see...

Got Justina Robson's Selling Out, book two of her Quantum Gravity series, in the mail this week. Looks to be a strong continuation from that of Keeping It Real. In this one, Agent Lila Black has a new mission: seek out the truth of how Zal, the elvin/demonic rockstar, became kin to a race noted for its genocidal tendencies toward elves. He on the other hand has a much simpler task, which is to make it to his band's next gig. So long as Robson keeps up the odd-yet-oddly-compelling aspects that make these books so much fun (stereotypical fantasy races, music, cybernetics, and ghosts) this ride looks to be even more enjoyable than the first one.

Found the Fantasy anthology edited by Sean Wallace and Paul Tremblay in my local B&N. Containing stories from Sarah Monette, Cat Rambo, E. Sedia, and Jeremy Tolbert, it looks to be a solid "appetizer" to what can be found in Fantasy magazine.

And to further cement the fact that I'm way behind in the times I picked up a copy of Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. I only recently finished reading Jeff Smith's Bone (and that took me a year to get through), and now I've been wanting to discover more of the so-called classics. Plus, looks like a movie is in the works and I for one would love to be in the know when all that comes to. And it's about superheroes, right? Can't go wrong there, I say. Okay, feel free to throw rotten fruit any time you'd like...

In M.E.A.D.!

Ah-hah! All around funnyman Steve Wilson's latest My Elves Are Different comic takes a turn for the mundane humor. You know, like how I do it in MyLifeComics.



Click for a bigger image!

Free shtuff

So, I got some things in the mail this week. No candy, but I'm not going to turn away free books...



Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell. I really enjoyed his debut novel, Crystal Rain, last year and am definitely looking forward to diving into this one. Just by the cover alone, I know it's going to be a fast-moving and fun.



Prime Codex edited by Lawrence M. Schoen and Michael Livingston. A reprint anthology, focusing on more upcoming writers than name brands. The TOC looks good, and there's even a story from one of the issues of Shimmer that I also appeared in. Hey, what, no love for the P-man?



Chrono Mechanics by Art Thibert. I got this for free from Dave Carter's FreeComicBookMonth contest that he ran all during May. Looks pretty interesting, and it's definitely off-the-wall which, not surprisingly, is perfect for my tastes.

Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures

It only took me a little over nine months, but last night I finished up reading Jeff Smith's Bone, the one volume edition that clocks in at over 1,300 pages. I'd originally started out reading a few pages a night, but The Busy kicked in and things slowed down. This was not Bone's fault. In short, I absolutely loved it.

The story--despite its large pockets of humor--is massively epic. It begins with the three Bone cousins: slightly aloof Smiley Bone, greedy Phoncible P. "Phoney" Bone, and the sensible one stuck between them Fone Bone. They've been run out of Boneville, with the blame falling on wannabe Mayor Phoney's shoulders. The trio ends up in a valley where they end up separated. Locust and rat creatures are chasing after them, and soon the oblivious Bone cousins are swept into a dangerous adventure to stop the Lord of the Locust from awakening.

Jeff Smith's artwork is admirable. The clash of the cartoony Bones and the medieval fantasy landscape, inhabited by more lifelike townsfolk, actually works in a way I wasn't expecting. It's charming, and by the hundredth page it's no longer even something to worry about. Bone is filled with recognizable and lovable characters, and even if some of them are a bit cliche, such as Thorn Harvestar, the farm girl that turns out to be a royal princess, but all is forgiveable. Smith knows how to write, how to pace a plot, how to make his characters emote with the lift of an eyebrow.

Oh, and Rose "Gran'ma" Ben and the Great Cow Race? Wonderful.

If you haven't checked out Bone (and I'm probably the only one late to this party), please do so now. It's completely worth the time.

New web site

MyLifeComics has packed up its junk, hired a moving team, and relocated from WebComicsNation to WordPress. I think it'll be much happier there. Less neighbors, more room for expansion. That sort of thing. Anyways, here's the new link to the site:

http://mylifecomics.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

Progress notes for May 8, 2007

Today I discovered some of the free comic books available online over at Image Comics. While perusing their diverse (and I do mean diverse, here) selection, one immediately caught my eye:



This is set in a futuristic universe where elephants are genetically created to be used as massive weapons of destruction. So we meet Ebony (ugh), an elephantman who is trying to get over his past, as he spends some time chatting with a little girl named Savannah (double ugh). The girl's innocent questions force Ebony to relive the oh-so-terrible moments of his gray life, and the story plays out rather like one might expect. The artwork is nothing to stampede over (see, I can be puny too), but I did enjoy the coloring and a few of the action shots. The story really lost me though, and I wished this had been something else entirely. Maybe something really serious or something completely comical; at the moment, it's kind of in the middle of those two, a mix that doesn't deliver on either account. Ever since reading Michael Bishop's "Bears Discover Smut," I've had a soft spot for worlds where enhanced animal lifeforms live among us like good-natured human beings. Alas, Elephantmen #1 is nothing short of stock material; hopefully I can find a better comic to read next. I believe they have one at Image Comics where the Pope does hand-to-hand battle with Satan's demons. Amen to that!

Oh, I also finished my latest short story. Now to let it sit and smell for a bit before I read through it again with my editing eye turned up to extreme prejudice. But, hey, it's done, and that's nice to know.

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 543
Total Words: 5,371
Pages: 13 (26 in proper manuscript form)
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Because it's done...yay!
Stimulants: Coffee
Songs played loudly: "Bonnie Taylor Shakedown" by Hellogoodbye
Exercise: 4,284 steps at the park
Mail: Nothing really though I did re-new my subscription to Apex Digest thanks to a big bully named The Sizemore
Darling du Jour: Emily spent the remainder of the night sitting on the floor with her computer off and the window open. Outside, life in West County went on without change. Milo poured out a wrenching cover of "Less Than Zero" by Elvis Costello; at this Martin appeared, and she took him in her arms and hugged him until he squirmed.
Other writing-related work: Read more of a friend's novel
The Internet is full of Things: Eh...see above?

Freeeeeeee comics

Did everyone celebrate Cinco de Mayo by picking up free comic books? If not, shame on you and your dog.

Unfortunately, the shop I hit up did not have any more Pirates vs. Ninjas comics. I'm assuming it was either very popular or an entire clan of ninjas smokebombed the shop, stole every issue, and left without a trace. Yeah, it could've been that. Well, here's what I got instead:

Owly is a quiet character created by Andy Runton, but that's what makes him so endearing. In this issue, titled "Helping Hands," Owly must use what he remembers of his past to help his friend Bunny face her fears of the impending Springtime. The artwork is simple, but very telling, which more or less makes up for Owly and company's lack of speaking. It might be a bit kiddie for some, but I still enjoyed it regardless. Also, bonus bonus bonus, a quick six-page Korgi tale in the back by Christian Slade. Corgis are cool dogs, and corgis named Korgi are even cooler.

This is really three different comics rolled into one book. More for the money! Er, wait...these were all free to begin with. Oh wells. These were conceived by Gerald Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance, with artwork Gabriel Bá and Dave Stewart. The Umbrella Academy has a lot of neat things to it, namely the characters. They're unique and well-designed, the coloring on them top-notch. What's presented here is merely a teaser for the upcoming series, and well, it worked. I want more.

Ah, the crème de la crème. Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero takes up back to a less stressful time, where the crew of the famous battleship could walk its halls with little to no hesitation in their steps. The events of this new series from creative team of Brandon Jerwa and Stephen Segovia take place two years before the Cylon Holocaust. We're shown younger, more carefree characters: Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh; they really nailed these two here, hitting their dialogue and banter perfectly while still allowing each to be their own person. If this is any indication of what a Caprica-like television season could be, bring it the frak on.

Sickly update

Sick today, so no progress on "The Songs He'd Sing." I am looking to finish it off by the end of the weekend. The ending isn't looking too bright in it, but hey, that's how these things go sometimes. Life isn't always teddy bears and prancing elves.

Also, for those that are unaware, Saturday is the best holiday ever: Free Comic Book Day.

Of them all, I really want this one the most:

Pirates vs. Ninjas #1—FCBD EDITION
by Fred Perry & Wes Hartman, & Craig Babiar
Featuring a flip cover by Fred Perry and special FCBD-only material! It’s no secret that pirates and ninjas have always been at odds. At long last, two of history's most formidable opponents in physical combat will meet on the field of destiny for the ultimate showdown. Throughout the millennia, these natural enemies have left death and despair in their wake. Now, they face each other to battle for supremacy. Let the greatest battle of all time commence! 32pgs, B&W

Flip cover! Supremacy! NINJAS!

Progress notes for May 1, 2007

I am 79% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

This--as I type with jittery hands from my fourth cup of coffee today--comes as no surprise. How addicted are you? If you beat me, you get to buy the next round of joe. Sucks to be you!

Oh, and happy May Day!

"The Songs He'd Sing"

New Words: 439
Total Words: 2,407
Pages: 6
Deadline: None
Reason for stopping: Need to think some thingies out
Stimulants: See above
Songs played loudly: "Gravity" by John Mayer, "Belt" by Say Anything
Exercise: Nada, rainy day
Mail: Signed contracts for Strange Stories of Sand and Sea and will be dropping them in the mail tomorrow
Darling du Jour: "Yup." He squirmed, wanting down. "You forgot to mention the dog though."
"Must be new."
He licked a paw. "No worries. The thing couldn't even talk. Yap, yap, yap."
Other writing-related work: Contract reading and signing
The Internet is full of Things: I really love Michel Gagné's work, and he's put up his sold-out book Frenzied Fauna: From A to Z online for free. So, you know, check it out! I'm quite smitten with his version of sheep.

Secret project revealed!

Awhile back, Sandra McDonald e-mailed me to ask if I might be interested in doing some comics to go along with The Outback Stars, her debut novel from Tor that just officially came out today. I quickly got to work, and we've been going back and forth with different ideas and sketches and whathaveyou. Well, now y'all can see some of the stuff I've come up with, aptly titled the Outback Guide. It's been a lot of fun, and Sandra's writing made it quite easy to pluck out strip ideas. Plus, you know, any excuse to draw spaceships is fine by me.



There'll be a total of twelve comics, three for each of the first four chapters of the book. To see the rest of the comics for Chapter One, go here. You can also see some other fun stuff on the Outback Stars web site, such as fanfic and personal diary entries from the characters. So stay tuned to the site for more content. And, duh, order her book at Amazon.

Going to ComicCon!

Well, "The Morning Gift" is on hold for now while I figure out what I'm even trying to do with the thing. I've got my characters and I've got my history in there, but the plot is fuzzy and unfocused. Also, I'll be attending ComicCon tomorrow in New York, which means I'll probably be mentally exhausted for the remainder of the weekend. But yay, ComicCon! The guest list is insane and if I meet even just 2% of the people I want to meet I will be quite pleased with the experience.

As usual, I have lots of things I need to do. What's that sound? Is it bullets lining up and indenting themselves? Why, yes! It is! Time for a to-do-list.

Things To Do Soon or My Head Will Splode:

• Review Farthing, Issue 5 for Tangent
• Review Justina Robson's Keeping It Real
• Ink next week's MyLifeComics
• Actually draw the next Greenhorn because I've run out of inventory
• Continue work on a shhhhhhhhhhh secret project that I can't talk about yet
• Finish reading chapters of a friend's latest novel
• Sleep

This past week I finished two stories, rewrote another one, reviewed galleys for "Sonorous" for Apex Digest #9, and managed to find time for some Rogue Galaxy. I think if my head does explode, it's at least warranted.

Chocolate comic

Thanks to Drawn! I found out about a new web comic which focuses on writing (well, a freelance writer, at least): Will Write for Chocolate by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. She's got some funny things to say about the blogosphere as well. And this doesn't appear to be the only comic she does. Anyways, check it out!

My title would've been Will Write for Sushi, but that's just me...

Comments are a go

Wow, I just realized that folks can now comment on MyLifeComics. This seems to be a new function of the site; at least I don't remember it being there a few days ago. I generally don't ever go back to look at the comics after posting, but now I finally have a reason to. The voice of the public shall be heard! Praise me, please!

My Elves Are Different

Steve Wilson, a fellow cohort from FantasyBookSpot, is doing some spec-fic related comic strips lightly titled My Elves Are Different. The artwork is what it is, but the writing is sharp and full of personality, which is what matters most. And they're fun, so check them out!

Looks like Greenhorn has some competition...