Happy Thanksgiving!

Why, Steve? Why?

An email ode to Mr. Jobs, regarding the removal of my iPad’s orientation lock switch.

Expanding My Horizons

When I set out to do the 30 Character Challenge I imagined it as a very involved writing challenge. I certainly never expected to get all visual arts with it. 

It started small: finding a few photos for the initial set and doctoring up one or two. Then the entire second set was made up of handwritten notes. A fun way, I thought, to visually bring the reader into the characters' world.

But then there's this! I began by doing some drawings for a mini-set earlier this week. That was fun. I hadn't drawn that much in years and I was really happy to see how quickly my limited drawings skills came back to me (I did two of those off photo references, so it's not like I was drawing off the cuff). This lead directly to me trying something more ambitious.

I started with the pencil sketch of The Omega Kid. There were a lot of areas to cover in black and I didn't think the pencil was doing it justice. So I said "let's go for it!" I traced the original drawing on a clean piece of paper, using very light pencils. Then I found the only decent pen I had at home, a blue Pilot uniball, and inked it. Then I scanned the inked version, opened it in GIMP, flipped the pen lines to black and colored it.

Wow! That was a lot of fun! Here are images to show you the progression from sketch to inks to final product:

  

And if you'd like to learn more about this character, you can check out the first script in the series right here.

30Characters, a look back at the first half.

I am taking part in a challenge this month called 30Characters. The name pretty much sums it up: 30 characters, one for each day of November.

My biggest impulse behind taking the plunge was to meet new people and share my work. I've been doing a good job of staying motivated this year but I've mostly been working in a vacuum. This seemed like the perfect way to start coming out of that shell. So far, I'd say it's been a success. I have really enjoyed talking to new people who share similar creative passions. And I have really appreciated the feedback on my own work.

Regarding the actual completion of the challenge, it's been, well, challenging. I have strived at cohesion by telling a story within each set. Relatively speaking the CAPTAIN KERPLUNK entries were easier since I already had pages upon pages of notes for this screenplay (which I'm aiming to write by early 2011). This new set I'm working through, MASKED, is tougher. Even though the concept has existed in my head for years, it's all still very nebulous. When I struck upon the idea to do it as actual handwritten notes, I really got inspired. Exploring the different things I could do with this format has been fun.

What does the future hold? Surprises! In the meantime, see below for a list of my characters thus far... and a sneak preview! 

CAPTAIN KERPLUNK

1. Lilly Lopez
2. Tim Grant
3. Robert Quibral
4. Steve Griffith
5. Christopher & Kristine Paley aka The Khrises
6. Mayor Randolph Nichol
7. Ephton Valley
8. Blake Lewis
9. Captain Kerplunk

One-off

10. Rush, The Boxer

MASKED

11. A.K.A.
12. Cubo Janes
13. Cassandra Drake
14. Andy Kross
15. Parker Reynolds

Sneak Peek! THE OMEGA KID
Here are some rough sketches/doodles I've done for myself. THE OMEGA KID is an all-ages adventure series. So far I have two scripts done which I will upload here soon.

Don't forget to visit 30characters.com and support all the other wonderful artists and writers working on this project.

  

The most culturally significant event of all time

News hit today that former President of the United States Bill Clinton will cameo as himself in The Hangover 2.

You know what I think would make this better? If George W. Bush cameo'ed alongside Clinton. The way I see it, the two former presidents would be happily partaking in some elicit activity together -- I'll let you go fill in the blanks with an elicit activity of your choice -- and then they high five!

What better healing balm for our divided country than two polarizing presidents coming together in a dick & fart comedy, anyway? Take it away guys!

Why Batman Must Not Kill the Joker

There’s never a satisfactory real life answer to this question. The issue, as I see it, boils down to the idea of not killing, not the actual logistics of who deserves to die and who doesn’t.

You kill the Joker, fine. Then do you kill other mass murders too? It’s not like the Joker is singular in that respect. He’s not the only mass murderer in the world (fictional or otherwise), nor will he be the last after you kill him. So you can’t argue like it’s a one-time-only situation without opening the door to the possibility of next time. The only possible exception to that rule that doesn’t open up the floodgates has to be something as fantastical and extreme as Darkseid trying to kill the entire universe and all of existence. Because that’s pretty literaly singular (and extremely badass).

In real life most people could not watch someone kill as much as the Joker and not say “ok, exception to the rule time.” If they made Batman kill the Joker it would be more “realistic” but the price is he would then become just human and not the ultimate expression of what humanity could be.

What makes Batman and his myth special, I believe, is that it postulates an inherent moral compass within most humans, one that Batman is almost perfectly in touch with. This is why he is compelled to act outside of the law in the first place, and continues to do so even once in-story elements such as Gotham’s corruption are dealt with. Batman has already reached a level of moral understanding that the rest of us are still working towards.

People love Batman because we could be him, not because we are him already.

(I adapted this post from my response in the comments section of this article -- which you should totally go read and check out the ensuing conversation)