Darger & Me

Also:


Perhaps the greatest snowman (or should I say Snotoro) ever made?

Thank you, Umma!

Thanksgiving

The video in question:

God, I so love Mr. Roger. I wish I WAS him.

Speaking of favorite B-boys:

That's 66-year old "Crazy Grandma." How awesome is she?

Priceless

My Dream Home

Anyone know where or what this is?

My Hero

In case you've ever wondered what it means to be Korean, watch this drummer:

Gene Yang in The New York Times!

Gene Yang's latest project is up on the Funny Pages section of the New York Times Magazine today. It's a short story called Prime Baby, and it'll be serialized every Sunday for the next 18 weeks.

Awww yeah!!

Wordstock Reading: Healing Hands Continues

Hey everyone, just wanted to make another reminder about my reading at Wordstock. Remember "Healing Hands"? Well, as part of my reading I'm gonna be reading all the panels that were once up on the site, as well as a whopping 16 new pages (91 panels) continuing the story from where it left off. So if you ever wanted to know what happened next in that story and where it was headed, come on by.

I'll be peddling some of my usual wares as well.

Sunday, Nov. 9, 1:30 pm
Room D-135
Wordstock '08
Portland Convention Center
777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon.

Too cute

Random Obsession of the Day: Monowheel

More here.

It never ends...

Not to be a killjoy, but it wasn't all flowers and rainbows yesterday...

Arizona Proposition 102: Ban on Gay Marriage: 56% Yes
Arkansas Initiative 1: Ban on Gay Couples Adopting Children: 57% Yes
California Proposition 8: Ban on Gay Marriage: 52% Yes
Florida Amendment 2: Ban on Gay Marriage: 62% Yes

It's so frustrating how people herald the breaking of one barrier, and then turn right around and discriminate against another group.

And of course the ultimate irony being Obama's stance on gay marriage and how he would have probably voted had he been a resident of those states. Not speaking about the adoption issue of course, which he does support. (Please put down the pitchforks, Obamaniacs -- I'm just stating a fact, not making a judgement call.)

But on the other hand:

Colorado Amendment 48: Human Life from Moment of Conception: 73% No
Michigan Proposition 2: Allow Stem Cell Research: 53% Yes
South Dakota Initiative 11: Abortion Limits: 55% No
Washington Initiative 1000: Allow Doctor-Assisted Suicide: 59% Yes

Hell. YES. It's heartening to know rationality and sanity can prevail.

(Source: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/ballot.measures/)

Quite possibly the raddest beanie I've ever seen.

Um...

Cue the Barry White

Oooh say can you seeeeee~~

By gum, it actually happened. And by such an electoral landslide. I can hardly believe it. I've been disappointed so many times, it's a weird feeling actually getting the candidate I voted for in my short voting life.

(Of course I probably wouldn't have voted for Obama if we actually had more than 2 real choices in this country. But I just couldn't bear to throw away my vote on an independent in such an important election.)

Since Obama isn't totally a political or ideological champion for me, I can't go all goopy like hardcore Democrats -- I'm sorry, but I just can't get stratospherically excited for someone that doesn't support gay marriage or backpeddles on issues like Iraq and offshore drilling or asks advice from an imaginary bearded man in the sky -- but socially speaking, I am just as enthralled, moved and proud of our country as anyone.

Regardless of my little beefs, Obama is a solid candidate and a good man, and just seeing a minority, an African American, standing up there accepting the presidency was so amazing. So moving. Especially as a minority who could never imagine being the president of the United States even if he was qualified simply because of his race. It's so easy to lose hope for any kind of progress when the majority of your country would voluntarily elect a genuine simpleton like Bush, not once, but twice. This election has injected into me some much needed idealism for my country. Some hope that little by little, it really is moving toward a truly unbiased, civil society. I'm so glad to be alive right now.

If only Obama's grandmother was alive to see this day. If only Martin Luther King was alive to see this day.

-----------------

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled sarcasm and random thoughts:

-It cracked me up every time they panned to Jesse Jackson crying. This is from the guy that wanted to machete Obama's nuts off? I think the real reason he was crying was because it wasn't him up on that podium.

-Am I the only one that was kind of disappointed with Obama's appearance at the end of the night? He seemed like the least happy guy at the whole affair! I've seen more excitement from the winner of a science fair. Everyone's crying their eyes out and it's this monumental historic moment in American history, and he talked like he was just making another routine speech at a campaign rally. I know keeping his cool is one of his strengths but sometimes I feel like he goes right past it to just being cold. Now I realize it was late and I'm sure he was exhausted from this long, long crazy ride, but just compare this speech with that infamous one he gave four years ago at the Democratic convention. He didn't even seem like the same guy tonight.

-I really liked McCain's concession speech. It seemed much more genuine and humble than Obama's. I thought he showed a lot of character with that speech. If only that was the guy that had run for president. I was really disappointed 4 years ago when Kerry didn't come out to make a concession speech. I thought that was really weak of him. It seemed so cowardly, selfish and... well, sore loser-ish. And since it was such a bitter night already, it was like salt in the wound. McCain was much more classy. Plus I just can't get enough of his short little arms and the way he says, "My friendsh..."

-Did anyone catch Tavis Smiley's commentary right after Obama's speech? It was so wise and spot-on. I wish I could be that articulate.

-I LOVED watching the coverage on Fox News. When Obama won Ohio, you could practically see the color drain out of their faces. Damn, that was satisfying!!

-To be good sports and give McCain at least a little taste of the White House, they should name the puppy "Maverick".

-Or "Lieberman" if they get a bulldog.

Watching the Election Results...

Heeeeere we go. I'm biting my fingernails.

Here's a little something to ease the tension:



I hope you voted Calrissian!

Wordstock 08

Speaking of reminders, I also wanted to remind you that I'll be a guest at Wordstock this year. Wordstock is a big book festival here in the book-loving (and comics-loving) city of Portland. It's my first Wordstock and I'm really looking forward to it.

My reading is on Sunday at 1:30pm in room D135 at the Oregon Convention Center (dubbed the Community of Writers Portland Stage). I'll be reading some never before seen material, as well as some familiar stuff. I'll also have all my books and my Testosterone poster for sale at my reading too.

But I'm kind of afraid I'll be speaking to an empty room. With the awesome likes of Mike Mignola, Lynda Barry, Alison Bechdel, and Spain Rodriguez speaking, I don't know if anyone will have any interest in little 'ol me. So please help me spread the word if you know anyone going to the festival who might be interested in hearing me read/speak or buy my lame comics. Thanks! I really hope at least a few people will show up...

Personally though, I'm looking forward to attending every one of those aformentioned cartoonists' panels, particularly Lynda Barry's. I hate to get all hipstery, but she's been one of my favorite cartoonists and influences long before her sudden new-found popularity, so it will be a thrill to hear her speak. I remember randomly stumbling upon one of her early b&w strip collections at the local library when I was in high school and being blown away. Not only was it written so well, but I was amazed that it talked about Filipino culture. That might not seem all that remarkable in this golden age of comics where books like "American Born Chinese", "Fun Home" and "Louis Riel" are the norm, but at that time it was something that felt really refreshing and daring to me. At the time, to an uninformed Marvel Zombie, a "literary" comic meant something like "The Crow." Ha ha...

But I digress... what was I talking about? Oh, yes, Wordstock! If you're in or around the Portland area, and you're a book lover of any kind, you should go. There'll be tons of authors attending and there's a big dealer room with all kinds of book vendors. And although it's primarily a prose book festival, there's plenty of comics representation. Besides the five of us speaking cartoonists, the dealer room has a "Stumptown Comics Garden" section where great comics publishers like Sparkplug, Fantagraphics, Top Shelf, Dark Horse, and Oni will be tabling.

The festival has tons of great panels and workshops too. I mean, just check out their programming schedule. Whether your a professional, budding writer, or simply a lover of books, there's tons of stuff to keep you interested, I would think.

Here's a couple more comics related things happening:

Comics and Politics
1:00 p.m. Saturday, University of Oregon Nonfiction Stage
Artists and historians discuss the relationship between comics and politics and the history of this underground art form. With Alison Bechdel, Spain Rodriguez, and Patrick Rosenkranz. Moderated by Douglas Wolk.

And this Thursday:

Graphic Novel First Thursday
Fuzzy Glamour Gallery, 625 NW Everett St. #111 in Portland.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m., readings begin at 6:45 p.m.
FREE admission!

In their first partnership ever, Wordstock & Stumptown Comics Fest present a Graphic Novel First Thursday. Featuring both original comic book art & the literary masterpieces of Portland graphic novelists, this event is certain to entertain both your eyes and ears.

If you’re new to the genre or a fanboy, you’ll meet the artists that are behind the explosion of Portland comics. See and hear from the likes of Carolyn Main, Jamie Rich & Joelle Jones, Graham Annable, Eisner winner Shannon Wheeler, and debut novelist Jesse Reklaw.

All artists featured at this First Thursday event will also be on hand in the Stumptown Comics Garden at the Wordstock Book Fair.”

Yeah, Portland's pretty awesome...

VOTE! Please?

Hey y'all, not that you need any reminding from me, I'm sure, but just in case you woke up from a coma tonight or something -- the big day is tomorrow. You're all voting, right? And if you're in a battleground state, and you're even just a toe on Obama's side, please please vote for him. If you don't, you're giving the country to these people:



Really, do you need any more convincing? Don't give your country to the racist, homophobic, gun-toting hate-mongers. Look, I don't worship Obama like a lot of people I know, and people like Olbermann are (almost) just as annoying to me as people like O'Reilly, but I do think Obama is the step in the right direction in this "free" country where we only really ever have two choices for president. My friends, let's take a step forward instead of backwards.

PS: I really hope I don't get hearbroken like in the last election.

PPS: God, if you really exist, please please don't let some crazy redneck shoot Obama. Thanks.

Electric Ant #1

Hey, if you're going to APE, you should pick up Electic Ant #1! It's a gorgeous zine put together by the Same Hat Same Hat kids, and it's really spanky. It's stuffed to the brim with tons of great artists and randomness. I was lucky enough to have my Skeletor from my Testosterone poster be included as well. Check it out!