Happy Birthday to me.

Happy Birthday to me.

I’m twenty-four years old now.

Happy Birthday to me.

Nothing much to say about it. Just go look. And click on the image for giganto-vision.

Well, so, thanks Todd.

Apparently the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher is being made into a comic. The timing of this announcement, for me, is uncanny, considering I just read and briefly reviewed the first part of the series last week.

I should add a bit to that review. The third book went over the top. I felt my brain meats cringe a little. It's fun, but I can really only do so much escapism before it becomes painful, like ill-used muscles pulling taut the tendons and ligaments of the mind.

Looking for Group. I totally remember when this was a webcomic. It's like seeing Blankets on the bookshelf. Weird.

I got a call from a friend of mine from high school whom I've kept in touch with. Bear in mind that high school was not so much something I graduate from as something I escaped. Surmounted. I made jokes about it being like Auschwitz on regular intervals, which is a lot darker once you've seen the actual Auschwitz. The fact that they erected black wrought-iron gates around the whole thing really didn't help dispel the comparison. Shortly after this call I had a wedding invitation in my mailbox.

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My office mate is in his fifties, divorced with two children, and someone whom I would characterize as highly responsible. I don't expect the members of my Warcraft guild to epitomize restraint in any capacity, so when asking them whether my paycheck should be saved for bills, food, car repairs, and upcoming Christmas shopping, or blown on comic books and video games, I was entirely unsurprised at their response. My office mate, however, surprised me.

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Death Junior
Sad panda. This was really cute. I spotted it in the bookstore and was completely sold when I saw the image of Death holding a mug with "World's Best Dad" written on it. It has exactly the type of humor that fans of Vasquez's work would go for, without being so completely stuck up its own ass (and if you can't admit his writing has one shtick, one shtick only, and he's been abusing it like LucasArts abuses the Star Wars license, then God help you and your literary sensibilities). Unfortunately I wasn't completely sold, as I already had three other books in my hand and was weighing that against how long I'd have to be hungry.

The Professor's Daughter
I spotted this online, actually, when I was checking to read what on earth people had to say about Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite (prior to Todd's review of the thing) and the premise was adorable. Once more I fall back on "I'd rather give you guys my money than Amazon."

Arsenic Lullaby
Now, this won't be everyone's cuppa. In fact, it won't be most people's cuppa. But I can't tell you how hard this comic makes me laugh. I heard the name might have changed to a reference to the beloved Baron VonDonut (probably my favorite character - "Stay in school, kid") but I'm not sure. Either way, if this one's available, it should be here. If for nothing else than letting me be the only sick fuck with the gall to give it 5/5 stars. I pray it's still in print.

Action Philosophers
I know these guys have to still be around. I pray, anyway.

Alice in Sunderland
Another series I've heard so much about and want to read. It'd be stellar to see it here.

Watchmen
I understand it's a fat novel now. I just want to have it here so I can stamp it with "zomg fay-vor-eet," further narrowing my tastes and allowing you to better pigeon-hole me towards new things to read.

Sandman Volume 3
I know, a specific volume. It's one I already own, too. It was my favorite of the series (Dream Country, for those who remember by title better; it starts with the story of Calliope, and even sitting here I'm struck by how incredible it was). I was sad I couldn't find it.

That's it for now. Keep up the awesome work, guys!

I would like to share two things.

One: I got paid. I got paid. Subscription time!

Two: I need more courage, so I can put something up on the I AM A WRITER forum.

Another "just to share" link.

Superdickery.com

The description you'll find via your search engine will tell you that this is a "humorous site dedicated to showing that 'Superman is a dick.'" Something I can appreciate considering the unending Batman vs Superman war amongst my friends.

Sadly, I can't embed images into my blog. (Dear HeavyInk - I can has raw HTML editor? kthxbai) In lieu of that ability I'll link you to a hilarious tidbit. "Jimmy, this gift you got me for father's day makes me sorry ever I adopted you as my son. I'll have to destroy it to teach you a lesson!" - "But... Superman... I mean Dad... What did I do wrong?" You picked the wrong team, Jimmy.

Hm. I'm noticing some user problems with this editor that I had while using vox. Same code? Hmm....
<font></font>

Right. I've learned my lesson. This is a composer, not a raw HTML editor. I'd really love that mode to be active.

I suppose that's a mean title. But this is a good idea. Odds are there are going to be a lot of problems in the get-go. Actually there already are a lot of problems at the get-go so I suppose this isn't so much prophetic as stating the facts. Still, this will allow folks like me who haven't read everything at all ever to be able and see what they've missed without taking out a second mortgage on their house. I certainly hope that was a somewhat clever statement; I have no idea what a mortgage is.

Part of me wants to crack a joke that they won't have the "original editions" and have to fall back on their redone "special editions" as some other people have done. I'll refrain. But what can I say? I'm a purist and tenacious about it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071113/ap_on_hi_te/comics_online;_ylt=AkAI5RIN_drD4ojIDaXXcOas0NUE

<blockquote>Marvel is putting some of its older comics online Tuesday, hoping to reintroduce young people to the X-Men and Fantastic Four by showcasing the original issues in which such characters appeared.</blockquote>

Just sharing.

It's a bit sad when you set up your own schedule and fail to keep it, but starting a new job makes your spare time go away. I'm still going over 401K options. Not to mention that sharing a PC is the direct path to fail. I've gotten more writing done but have yet to do the part where I wave a rainstick at my machine until pictures fall out. I'll get to it soon enough though. Probably tonight.

That said, I can't wait for Walking Dead #48. I am on tenterhooks.

Do you know? I sure as hell don't. But I'm going to try.

I feel a good deal of pity for anyone that may read it as I'm creating it. I tend to stick to straight prose for my writing, but this was a story that didn't fit on paper, such that it was. Moreover I am no form of artist and am taking the artistry of this thing upon myself, primarily because it would really be a crime to ask someone else to do the drawings. I'm just going to fondle Google Image Search and Photoshop inappropriately for awhile to get the effects that I want.

A friend of mine recommended writing it in a script format interspersed with artistic direction. I suppose that's logical except that my 'artistic direction' is primarily comprised of self-deprecation and comments like 'Just trace it if you have to.' I've written about twenty pages worth and done page one so far. I'm not sure what to make of it but at least it communicates the point.

There's a concept to it, of course, a motif, heavily laden with themes, the whole bit. I don't know the language of writing, I've never studied the thing. I just do what I can and hope for the best. But I doubt I'll be discussing that in great detail. Maybe I'll share it once I have a few pages under my belt. Not sure where exactly, but somewhere.

The project is being called Still Life for the time being. It's a play on words and blatantly reads as such. I was never very clever at naming things. I fear the day that children come into my life and I have to stamp them with titles.

Right now I'm just waiting for a paycheck. Then, subscriptions.