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

Music Blog | Op Ed | Percussion Education | Performance

2017 DCI Quarterfinals – Some Basic Thoughts

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Okay, well, since I probably won’t see DCI semis or finals, here’s my impression of prelims: Unfortunately, many of this year’s shows were rather boring. Compounded by the overuse of electronics and narration, many of the shows don’t differ in overall tone, which makes everything worse. The best shows emphasized brass and percussion music and visual design, using electronics and narration as *supplements*, not focal points. An arguable exception would be Carolina Crown’s show, where the … 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 | 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

Op Ed

An Open Letter To NPR Ombudsman Elizabeth Jensen

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The following is an email I sent to NPR regarding their Ombudsman Elizabeth Jensen’s response to their reporting of the AP’s claim that Hillary Clinton had won the Democratic nomination before the primaries took place on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. It is presented here, warts and all, as originally sent. — This email is long (thus, I apologize for any typos I may have missed). I ask that you take the time to read what I’ve … 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 | Op Ed

Black And White

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Just a short one today. I missed last Friday’s blog post because I took a day trip to Yosemite (which I’ll write about later, complete with sketches!), and I just didn’t finish the post earlier in the week. Since then, I’ve wanted to write about a number of things. I love black and white illustration. To me, it’s powerful, raw, and visceral, even when the content is “even” or serene. Despite however complex the illustration might … 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

Op Ed

Don’t Be Afraid. Letting Syrian Refugees Into The U.S. Is Perfectly Fine.

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I originally left a version of this as a comment on one of my friend’s Facebook posts as a reply to some of the comments he received. I thought I would post it here, as a rare venture out of my socio-political cave (I’m about to go back in). Luckily, I have not seen too many hateful comments or opposition to the US accepting Syrian refugees in my Facebook timeline. Twitter, the news… sure. It’s everywhere. … Read More

Art & Comics Education | Op Ed

Blade Of The Immortal – Manga VS Anime

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Blade Of The Immortal is an extremely important comic to me. I finally got to watch the first couple episodes of the anime adaptation. It is not good. There are so many things wrong with it. The writing is bad. The music doesn’t fit. It’s trying to do too much and be too much while accomplishing little. The story of the original manga is there but the spirit and tone isn’t there at all.

Art Blog | Op Ed

What’s The Big Deal About The New Supergirl Promo?

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I take it by some of the reaction to the new Supergirl promo that females with the personality of the new show’s Supergirl character – bubbly and happy, living in the shadow of another, unsure of herself yet strong on the inside, trying to do something meaningful with her life and the gifts she has – just do not exist? I would beg to differ. Not every strong female character needs to be hard-edged. Do they? … Read More

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