Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Time management
New Crawlers shows how sometimes you follow an idea because you want to not because it actually saves you more time than you invested in setting it up http://crawlers.thecomicseries.com/comics/7
Thursday, November 25, 2010
In Character
One of the reasons I avoid fantasy as a genre is I hate coming up with otherworldly sounding names. It was liberating to come up with names I thought others would come up with. http://crawlers.thecomicseries.com/comics/6
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
RPG Crossdressing
New Crawlers. It's common in MMORPGs for guys to play female characters because other players will give you free stuff if they think you're a girl and if your playing a female character they have a female butt to look at while they hide from real girls. One of the players in Crawlers has a different reason http://crawlers.thecomicseries.com/comics/5
Monday, November 22, 2010
Vacation Post
I'm on vacation so posting will be a little more sporatic than it's been (though Dungeon Crawlers will update automatically at crawlers.thecomicseries.com on Tuesday and Thursday) and I'm going to be a little less informed than normally. This is a good time to share my most closely watched news outlets.
MSNBC
This is the default channel in my house though I no longer go out of my way to watch a specific program. I am amused by rivalries and their whole thing with Fox news keeps me entertained as well as informed. I would still recommend the Dylan Ratigan show, but the others seem to be cheerleaders for Democrats, even while criticizing them.
Democracy Now!
This show is great for finding out about stories that fall through the cracks but the bias is so strong on this show I have to be in a certain mood to watch it. Take everything with a grain of salt because if the hosts agree with a guest they can say nothing wrong and if they disagree they can say virtually nothing right.
Talk of the Nation
This American Life
Documentary radio show that is very comprehensive when it's about current affairs. It's very often not though. Many times the show is just about interesting things or even feature readings of short fiction.
Frontline
I have yet to be disappointed in this documentary series. Well researched, comprehensive and well balanced.
The Daily Show/Colbert Report
These are actually great shows to watch to be informed because they show the footage other outlets will ommit in fear of looking bias.
Real Time with Bill Maher
Funny and informative but I don't get to watch it anymore until I can afford HBO
Penn & Teller's Bullshit
Great Libertarian spin on current events, though I occationally yell at the TV when watching (example: in the Wal-mart episode I was very mad that they were depicting Rogers Park as an upscale rich people neighborhood).
MSNBC
This is the default channel in my house though I no longer go out of my way to watch a specific program. I am amused by rivalries and their whole thing with Fox news keeps me entertained as well as informed. I would still recommend the Dylan Ratigan show, but the others seem to be cheerleaders for Democrats, even while criticizing them.
Democracy Now!
This show is great for finding out about stories that fall through the cracks but the bias is so strong on this show I have to be in a certain mood to watch it. Take everything with a grain of salt because if the hosts agree with a guest they can say nothing wrong and if they disagree they can say virtually nothing right.
Talk of the Nation
This American Life
Documentary radio show that is very comprehensive when it's about current affairs. It's very often not though. Many times the show is just about interesting things or even feature readings of short fiction.
Frontline
I have yet to be disappointed in this documentary series. Well researched, comprehensive and well balanced.
The Daily Show/Colbert Report
These are actually great shows to watch to be informed because they show the footage other outlets will ommit in fear of looking bias.
Real Time with Bill Maher
Funny and informative but I don't get to watch it anymore until I can afford HBO
Penn & Teller's Bullshit
Great Libertarian spin on current events, though I occationally yell at the TV when watching (example: in the Wal-mart episode I was very mad that they were depicting Rogers Park as an upscale rich people neighborhood).
Friday, November 19, 2010
Politics and a word about bias
A few days ago I talked about how I often have a bias of a comic based on my relationship with the creator of that comic. In the media outlets there is a debate about trying to appear to be objective. I say trying to appear objective instead of being objective because objective is an impossible standard. It is impossible to give every fact about an issue equal weight at the same time, and an apparent bias will appear even if the components of the story are randomly selected.
There is something lost in this debate about trying to remain objective. Passing on bullshit to the public. Currently the media sees America as having a two party system. According to this narrative there are two sides to every issue and both are equally valid. This is true but not for the reason the mainstream news seems to think. Both sides are usually full of shit.
Evidence to the claim is the commonly sited "we need 60 votes" mantra of the Senate. To recap, the Republicans threaten to filibuster when they don't like a proposal by the Democrats, who then give up because they don't have the votes. What is rarely said is that filibusters are hard. Two people are required to hold the floor on a filibuster. When Mike Gravel filibustered he wore a colostomy bag so he wouldn't have to leave the floor to take a bathroom break. He was speaking so long he started to weep. Filibustering is self torture and I don't believe for a second Republicans intend to do it every time they have threatened to.
Also check out Olbermann on bias
There is something lost in this debate about trying to remain objective. Passing on bullshit to the public. Currently the media sees America as having a two party system. According to this narrative there are two sides to every issue and both are equally valid. This is true but not for the reason the mainstream news seems to think. Both sides are usually full of shit.
Evidence to the claim is the commonly sited "we need 60 votes" mantra of the Senate. To recap, the Republicans threaten to filibuster when they don't like a proposal by the Democrats, who then give up because they don't have the votes. What is rarely said is that filibusters are hard. Two people are required to hold the floor on a filibuster. When Mike Gravel filibustered he wore a colostomy bag so he wouldn't have to leave the floor to take a bathroom break. He was speaking so long he started to weep. Filibustering is self torture and I don't believe for a second Republicans intend to do it every time they have threatened to.
Also check out Olbermann on bias
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Explorers of the Unknown Review and a word about bias
I've been involved with the comics community for a long time. I know a lot of people who make comics. ?
Some are drawing group friends. Online friends. Convention friends. So my reviews are bias to some degree because I know many creators beyond what I learn about them from their work. I normally avoid pointing this out but there is something that must be considered when reviewing Explorers of the Unknown:
You are probably never going to meet anyone more excited about comics than the writer of the series Seth Fronzoli. If you've met Josh Elder he runs a close second for me. This counts for something for me. Maybe it shouldn't when I put on the reviewer hat.
When in the time I hung out with Seth he was a writer skulking around my artist group trying to find an artist to work with. Everyone in the group at the time was writing their own stuff. But he kept showing up, kept networking, kept helping us out when he could. Now he has a collaborator and a webcomic that has run over 100 pages.
He was tenacious and as far as I know it was never because he expects a big pay off from a movie deal or something (though I'm sure he'd like that). There are delusional people who do that. Seth loves the medium.
Now lets take a look at the product of that love...
Web-Comic Review
Title: Explorers of the Unknown http://www.drunkduck.com/Explorers_Of_the_Unknown/index.php?p=442876
Creator(s): Seth Fronzoli, Shawn Atkins
Art
The art is highly stylized and would be at home at Slave Labor Graphics (though the series does eventually become color). In the beginning there are a few sequences that are a bit hard to read as shapes blend together. The artist takes many anatomical liberties but they do more good than harm.
There are a few panels where the artist splices black and white photographs into the page. The effect works better in some places than others and used infrequently enough to take me out of the story when I come across it so my brain can point out the obvious "Oh he used a photo here for some reason."
Another visual issue is the lettering. I'd like to give it kudos for being different than standard lettering but I can't do that when it is barely readable on some pages. A font size that may be perfectly readable on the printed page can easily become a blurry eyesore on the web.
Later in the series a minimalistic color pallet is very effectively brought in and adds to the graffiti feel of the series.
Writing
Explorers of the unknown is a romp. These are silly adventures in a world of mishmash genres. The writing doesn't get in the way of this. He has brought his, well I don't want use the word spunk... He brought his energy, heart, and playfulness.
The characters and plots are only as developed as they need to be. The nice thing about an ongoing story is that characters are going to develop with every page. The only drawback is that the reader has to trust the writer long enough for the pay off.
Overall
If you are a fan of The Umbrella Academy you will probably enjoy Explorers of the Unknown. Not just because you find the redundant title amusing.
http://www.drunkduck.com/Explorers_Of_the_Unknown/index.php?p=442876
Some are drawing group friends. Online friends. Convention friends. So my reviews are bias to some degree because I know many creators beyond what I learn about them from their work. I normally avoid pointing this out but there is something that must be considered when reviewing Explorers of the Unknown:
You are probably never going to meet anyone more excited about comics than the writer of the series Seth Fronzoli. If you've met Josh Elder he runs a close second for me. This counts for something for me. Maybe it shouldn't when I put on the reviewer hat.
When in the time I hung out with Seth he was a writer skulking around my artist group trying to find an artist to work with. Everyone in the group at the time was writing their own stuff. But he kept showing up, kept networking, kept helping us out when he could. Now he has a collaborator and a webcomic that has run over 100 pages.
He was tenacious and as far as I know it was never because he expects a big pay off from a movie deal or something (though I'm sure he'd like that). There are delusional people who do that. Seth loves the medium.
Now lets take a look at the product of that love...
Title: Explorers of the Unknown http://www.drunkduck.com/Explorers_Of_the_Unknown/index.php?p=442876
Creator(s): Seth Fronzoli, Shawn Atkins
Art
The art is highly stylized and would be at home at Slave Labor Graphics (though the series does eventually become color). In the beginning there are a few sequences that are a bit hard to read as shapes blend together. The artist takes many anatomical liberties but they do more good than harm.
There are a few panels where the artist splices black and white photographs into the page. The effect works better in some places than others and used infrequently enough to take me out of the story when I come across it so my brain can point out the obvious "Oh he used a photo here for some reason."
Another visual issue is the lettering. I'd like to give it kudos for being different than standard lettering but I can't do that when it is barely readable on some pages. A font size that may be perfectly readable on the printed page can easily become a blurry eyesore on the web.
Later in the series a minimalistic color pallet is very effectively brought in and adds to the graffiti feel of the series.
Writing
Explorers of the unknown is a romp. These are silly adventures in a world of mishmash genres. The writing doesn't get in the way of this. He has brought his, well I don't want use the word spunk... He brought his energy, heart, and playfulness.
The characters and plots are only as developed as they need to be. The nice thing about an ongoing story is that characters are going to develop with every page. The only drawback is that the reader has to trust the writer long enough for the pay off.
Overall
If you are a fan of The Umbrella Academy you will probably enjoy Explorers of the Unknown. Not just because you find the redundant title amusing.
http://www.drunkduck.com/Explorers_Of_the_Unknown/index.php?p=442876
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