General Thoughts | Op Ed

Crazy Rich Asians – It’s A Movie You’ve Seen And Haven’t Seen (No Spoilers)

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I attended a special advance screening of Crazy Rich Asians, starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding. And let me be honest: I wanted to support it, but I wasn’t sure it was going to be something I’d enjoy. I’m picky about my romantic comedies. From the trailers, Crazy Rich Asians looks like a classic clash-of-the-families, clash-between-two-worlds rom-com. Girl gets shunned by Boy’s family, but the plucky Girl shows ’em she’s worthy. Conflict ensues but, in the … Read More

Art & Comics Education | Art Blog | General Thoughts | Op Ed

At Some Point, You Have To Stop Caring What Other People Think

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I used to hesitate about putting certain pieces of art into the world. I’ve put off comics projects because I didn’t want people to pigeonhole me. I didn’t want to do this genre or that, or this style or that, lest people thought I was a writer or artist of that one thing. I’ve hesitated to use color more often because my ego wants me to be known as a pen-and-ink, black-and-white guy. It’s all stupid. … Read More

Art Blog | General Thoughts | Op Ed

Comics Publishing Woes

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There’s a good article in The Atlantic that delves into why Marvel, and similarly, DC Comics have had trouble making money publishing their comics. It’s a good read for anyone that cares about popular comics. I have several criticisms that are both touched on and not presented in the article. If you don’t want to read my word-vomiting, at least read the article for an actual journalist’s insight into the world of Marvel (and DC’s) publishing … Read More

General Thoughts | Op Ed

The Case Of Doctor Strange And Being Afraid Of Stereotypes (AKA Stereotypes Are Based On Truth)

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I am not afraid of stereotypes. Oh, I acknowledge there are stereotypes that are detrimental to any group, but I’m not afraid of those, either. Stereotypes generally come from true origins, so any stereotype is likely to have roots with a deeper meaning in fact and history than the stereotype exemplifies. I’ve seen stereotypes of all sorts portrayed in media with respect and sensitivity, and I’ve seen them portrayed as ridiculous, superficial traits that could be … Read More

General Thoughts | Op Ed

Marvel’s Iron Fist on Netflix (No Spoilers)

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(Skip to the tr;dr summary) I really liked Netflix’s Daredevil, with its high characterization and great street vibe. I thought Jessica Jones was absolutely stupendous with an extremely good writing, great characters, and great acting to match. I was disappointed with Luke Cage; it didn’t meld that “street” vibe found in Marvel’s Netflix shows, including Jessica Jones, with the Blaxploitation genre the showrunners very much wanted to pay homage to in a smooth, enjoyable way, and … Read More

General Thoughts

Goodbye, Carrie Fisher

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I don’t normally get teary-eyed at the passing of a celebrity. And I don’t often feel prompted to write about them afterwards, either. Sure, celebrity passings, especially of the iconic, are sad, but it’s difficult for me to become emotional about someone I didn’t know, despite however much I admired them or how much they had an impact on my life. But Carrie Fisher’s passing is different. And the only time I can remember getting teary-eyed … Read More

General Thoughts | Op Ed

Star Wars: Rogue One – Just Some Initial Thoughts

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I saw Star Wars: Rogue One. It wasn’t bad. Say what you will about George Lucas’ prequel Star Wars movies, but they are distinctly Star Wars. And not just because he’s the creator. His Star Wars movies have a sense of wonder, magic, and mythology, amongst the drama, humor, and cheese. They were operatic. They were epic. You don’t have to like them, but they are distinctly Star Wars, just as the original trilogy is (despite … Read More

Art Blog | General Thoughts | Op Ed

Corey Feldman, The Today Show, And The Bane Of Artists On The Internet

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This comes from a comment I left on a friend’s post about Corey Feldman’s performance of his song, Go 4 It, on The Today Show. Let’s just say… the public, on the whole, didn’t like it, and Feldman knows it. As an artist, myself, that risks negative and positive reaction (or, no reaction) by releasing stuff online, I have a lot to say about this. This is the comment as I posted it, warts and all, … Read More

Art Blog | General Thoughts

Keeping Your Mind In The (Art) Game

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I try to draw something, anything, every day. Unfortunately, there are times when I just don’t get to. Everyone has things get in the way. Even if they’re minor. Maybe it’s hobby, a class you’re taking, a meeting, or a friend’s birthday. Sometimes you’ve got a bunch of errands and chores to do. Family obligations. Other times, you’re just way, way, way too tired to physically do anything. I mean, you could make yourself get up … Read More

General Thoughts | Op Ed

Plans VS Goals

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This was originally a Facebook post, but I’ve decided to share. I have not stated in public which presidential candidate I support/will vote for, nor do I intend to. However, I saw segment on The Daily Show from the other day that made fun of Bernie Sanders’ supporters’ general unwillingness to listen to criticisms of his plans. It made me think about the difference between goals and plans, and the fact that people generally put more … Read More

Art Blog | General Thoughts | Op Ed | Reviews

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Clouded By Mixed Feelings…

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…Much like how the Dark Side clouds the mind. So technically, this is a bit of a review, but also a bit of an examination. A couple people asked me what I thought of the new Star Wars movie, Ep. VII: The Force Awakens. So, this is me, letting them know. Oh, also: SPOILERS. I’ll let you know when they’re coming. Before I get into it, I should tell you that I have this uncanny ability … Read More

Art Blog | General Thoughts

I’m Back. And I’m Ready For “Something”

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It’s a while since I posted anything here. Let’s just say it’s been a tumultuous road for me the last couple years. But here I am. I’m back. And I’m drawing again. And it feels good. I’ve been missing it so much and now I just need to get some good habits back in my system. I was reading a thread on PencilJack and it really hit home with me. Some kid posted that he was … Read More

General Thoughts

Here’s what I know about Chick-Fil-A

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Here’s what I know: 1. WinShape, the philanthropic arm of Chick-Fil-A, made donations to anti-gay groups. 2. Dan Cathy, President of Chick-Fil-A, made public statements regarding his stance on gay marriage. 3. The Cathy family owns Chick-Fil-A, and thus, the WinShape Foundation. Therefore, it is the Cathy family that is taking a stance against gays and gay marriage through personal statements and monetary donations via their company. 4. Chick-Fil-A, as a company on the whole, is … Read More

General Thoughts

“Film” Music

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As a way to get some demos together, I started composing new music for existing movie clips. Two have been posted on YouTube so far: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) Spider-Man 2 Check ’em out. Share if you like them, and feel free to leave comments on YouTube.

General Thoughts

A whole year has passed.

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…and nothing was posted during 2011. Nothing. 2011 did not turn out the way I thought it would. Not even close to the way I wanted. I barely wrote a word of anything. I drew near nothing, save for a pinup I’d owed my sister for close to a year (guilt…). My two worlds of personal and creative life collided, ricocheted off each other, and exploded separately. There were casualties on both sides. The only real … Read More

General Thoughts

Where have I been?

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Yes, I’ve been away. 2010 has not been the kindest year. Not to say that good things haven’t happened. I started culinary school, we moved into a house, and… I think those were the big points. My wife will kill me if I missed anything major (aside from our anniversary, which happens every year. That’s why they call them “anniversaries”). The major events of our lives took place in the last quarter of the year, when … Read More

General Thoughts

American Top Gear – forget it

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Out of sheer curiosity, we watched the American version of Top Gear (“Blind Drift”). It was charmless, humorless, and blandly delivered by the hosts. Two of the three hosts have no personality (the third spoke like a New Yorker, which counts for personality, I guess). It was like watching a generic documentary except boring. It misses the passion, charm, and personal investment of the original British version. America, stop remaking and start making, you low-standard, uncreative … Read More

General Thoughts

An update with lil’ ol’ me

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When I was a kid I wanted to be, amongst the usual secret-agent-policeman-superhero-president vocations, a comics creator and a composer. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a comics creator and a drummer in a rock band (that would lead to a solo career). As a young adult, I wanted to be a comics creator, a drummer, and a composer. Right now, I’m mostly a drummer – an instructor and teacher, to be exact … Read More

General Thoughts

Marvel’s iPhone app and digital comics

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So. I just flipped through my first comic using Marvel’s iPhone comic reader app. I haven’t read a mainstream comic in a long time, favoring more independent stuff and manga (that’s another story). I have to say, it’s very good looking. The comics are clear and easy enough to read. Navigation is pretty straightforward and easy. There are a bunch of settings you can use to customize your reading experience. But I don’t know if I … Read More

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