Back from Chicago

I'm back. It was short but sweet.
Above you'll see a link to a photo gallery I'm still in the process of editing pictures to managable size but I did the Comic Con ones first and they are up. I'll try to continue updating through the week.

Wizard World Chicago

Well I'm off to Wizard World, least to say I'm excited, I'm gone for two weeks. I'll tell you all about when I get back.

Mass Effect 2

I gave into the evil temptation that is gaming and bought Mass Effect 2: The Deluxe Edition from Steam and my GAWD, that game is like crack 2.0 I can't get enough. I get to bet after midnight. I go to bed thinking about it I wake up thinking about it, my niece has to drag me off the computer for me to get to work, I... O_o
It's soo sad, I haven't drawn anything in days. Sigh.

You can review Mass Effect 2 all over the web, my two bits is that it is a vast improvement in the mechanics of the first game, but a weak continuation of the story, the fact that Shepherd has the Prothean Cypher in his head played no part in 'ME2' and aside from that I can see no reason someone else couldn't have fulfilled his mission. The DLC is fun but they don't really add anything to the game. I've played Zaeed's section and Kasumi's mission along with the Firewalker pack and I found all of them to be too short and not very engaging.

Here is hoping that Mass Effect 3 keeps the mechanics (which pretty much feel like Gears of War) and bring back the immersive story of the first Mass Effect.

Productivity (a personal observation)

I have been realising that creating comics takes a lot of dedication and, as of late I am very easily distracted.
Between video games, reading (both novels and comics) and sleep I get very little done. My new diet has wrecked my work schedule. I have to eat at certain times which knocks me out of my flow and changes my sleep cycle.

I'll need to be more persistant if I want to get anything done... right after I read over Mass Effect 2 :)

V for Vendetta

Finally purchased the comic 'V for Vendetta'.
When I walked to the second hand book store and found the complete 'graphic novel' for $11 bds I was delighted. I had read a few issues of the series when I was younger but never read the series in its entirety. I had enjoyed the movie but I didn't find the V for Vendetta movie an improvement over what little I had read.

Comic Tastes

I find that I find it difficult to read a comic if the art doesn't resonate with my personal asthetic.
I've noticed this when reading Hellblazer some story arcs gave me a headache and I have to force myself to power through them.

Let me get specific, Let's talk Alan Moore.
For those who don't know Alan Moore is a famous and eccentric writer who works in comics. His works are usually ground breaking and often polarizing, people either love or hate his work but seldom both. I'm one of those few people who both detest and love Alan Moore books. I've loved his work on Watchmen, Tom Strong and what I've read of V for Vendetta and Promethia but I detest The Leauge of Extraordinary Gentlemen and the Tales of the Black Freighter story, in Watchmen. It makes me conclude that I like Alan Moore's writing but I'm a little 'iffy' on his choice of artist. I'm not saying the art in these latter comics are bad, but I am saying that they didn't suit my taste at the time, and so I find them hard to read.

Makes me wonder about the stories I've passed on over the years because of aesthics, I may have overlooked something great.

Zuda closes its doors

I am sad to see Zuda go the way of the Dodo, I was really looking forward to trying again. I find it especially disapointing that I can't continue to follow the series I was reading before (I don't have an iphone and the comixology app bites). I intend to buy Highmoon and Night Owls at Wizard World but when are they going to put out Celedore and Melody (my two all time Zuda faves). And what about my collection and my friends list... I don't have any of those people's emails. It was sad when the competition ended, but it was sadder when DC killed the community page, fortunately the forums are still up but who knows for how long.

Books II

Ordered my newest round of books this time it was The Ultimate Rocketeer collection and Alex Toth's run on Disney's Zorro. Both were incredibly entertaining. I was surprised by two things; how different the Rocketeer Comic was from the movie (I know that should not have surprised me), and that Alex Toth at his worst (he admitted in the foreword that he hacked out the pages after a disagreement with his editor) is better than a lot of other people's best.

Eleventh Doctor

I watched the first episodes of season five of Doctor Who staring Matt Smith as The Doctor. I have to admit Smith does a fantastic job as The Doctor and yes, seeing the trailers, I definately had doubts.

My doubts were laid to rest by a scene in the first episode, "Eleventh hour" when The Doctor and Amelia are sitting in her kitchen, the way Smith said her name "Amelia Pond", I could believe it was the same character played by David Tenant despite the change in actors.

I look forward to this season, it looks like it's going to be good.

Locke and Key

Talk about a roller coaster ride. I heard the Podcasters on Around comics gushing about this book but it wasn't until I saw Gabriel Rodriguez's artwork that I decided to buy this.

I have not been disappointed, the art is great but its the story that completely blows me away. Let me give you a plot point that spoil anything. Key house (the home in which most of the story takes place) is a home filled with magic doors. The Keys to open these doors are hidden through out the property. Most of the keys seem to have a corresponding door but a few are a bit more unique.
Imagine that, it is a wicked concept and the story Joe Hill writes is so compelling that I keep re-reading it and finding something new.

So far I've bought the first two collected editions of this story and I am anxiously awaiting the third.

It is definitely worth the wait and the series is worth the read.

Star Wars Dark Times: Path to Nowhere

I recently bought 'Star Wars Dark times Path to Nowhere', It collects the first 5 books in a new star wars series. That takes place between Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith and Episode 4, A New Hope. The tale follows Jedi Master Dass Jennir and his friend Bomo Greenback in their serch to rescue Bomo's Family.

Without giving too much away this book is aptly named, the writers Welles Hartley and Mick Harrison are telling a terrific tale. But if a story of desperation, violence, lost love and shattered hopes doesn't apeal to you, buy it for the art. Doug Wheatly totally rules. I haven't been this excited about a Star Wars comic since Cam Kennedy's Boba Fett run. I mean holy cow, everything looks so solid and from what I've been able to determine Ronda Pattison colours directly over Wheatly's pencils, no inker... o_O

Rather than me gushing on go to this link and check out the first part of 'Star Wars Dark times Blue Harvest' it is one of the stories that follow 'Path to Nowhere'. Just incase that link doesn't go directly to the page its issue 18, you'll find the issue numbers below the page.

Enjoy the read and go buy the book.

Books

I recently ordered a couple of books through the Book Source. Amulet book 2, Locke and Key books 1 and 2 and Star Wars Dark Times collected edition 1 and they were all great. I plan to buy more graphic novels over the course of this year and cut back on all my excursions to the cinema and bars... the cinema for sure.

Prince of Persia

After over coming Mass Effect, which was a delight, I took a stab at Prince of Persia, I've got to admit it was a lot of fun. The difficulty was not high, although some of the boss battles were button mashing madness, once they were figured out beating them was just a matter of time after all the hero can't die... I'm not being cavalier he really can't die. I mean I jumped off of ledges into "corruption"... on-purpose and nothing happened. Elkia is like a bungee cord.

That aside, I still have no idea how this character ties into being the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Trilogy. In my play through Elkia still has no idea of his background and neither do I (the player).

Prince of Persia was definitely a high adventure, with an expansive world that offered stunning vistas constantly. The game's ending left a lot to be desired but a sequel is supposed to be coming that may or may not answer some questions, either way I look forward to it.

Christmas Gaming

I love computer games because I have a natural affinity for exploration, discovery and adventure along with a natural distaste for getting shot at.

Over the Christmas Holiday Steam was running a massive sale on a lot of titles. I decided now was the time to pick up some games I was dying to play. Both titles I choose were from Ubisoft. The first was the 2008 installment of the Prince of Persia and the other was Assassin's Creed. Now I've already beaten Prince of Persia and have decided to hold off on starting Assassin's Creed until I finish a few projects.

Mass Effect

I know everybody is all about Mass Effect 2 but I lack disposable income and more importantly disposable time so I am behind the times and am now playing Mass Effect. This game is the reason I avoid starting long book series or watching completed seasons of my favorite TV series, I get hooked and can't stop.

Games like Call of Duty 4 (multiplayer) and Team Fortress 2 allow me to game for hours and are infinitely enjoyable they don't make me want to know what will happen next.
Its more about the story than the game play, make it engrossing enough and you have me.

Mass Effect is one such game. The action is fast and enjoyable, the characters are diverse and the situations are sometimes intense. I can't speak on it further because I haven't gotten very far, but I hope it Mass Effect continues along this path as I play it in the future.

Update 20/09/2009

The comic for this week was based on outting a little while back, we had fun and gamed until five in the morning. Good times, good times :)

Update 06/09/2009

Updated webcomic, "A day in the Life".

Update 30/08/2009

Three new sketches added.

Update 23/08/2009

I've put up a new webcomic and two new sketches. Other than that it's been a quiet week.

Brush Pen

I recently bought a Pentel Brush pen, It wasn't expensive but bringing it into Barbados cost me an arm a leg and my first born child. That aside, the pen is definitely a good buy.
If you've checked my webcomic "A Day In My Life" you might notice my attempts, both past and present to use a brush. I'll admit, I suck, but practice will make perfect (at least it can't hurt). Using a brush has lead to me revising my entire work flow, I've started using blue graphite leads for my mechanical pencil, inking directly onto my page rather than using tracing paper and I changed my paper stock preference. "Cartridge paper rules" but I'm making myself to use up my old stock first, waste not want not.

The pros of the brush pen can be summed up in one word "speed". With the removal of a cap the pen is ready to use, no preparation of pallet, water, soap, tissue, clean workspace... nothing comes between you and creativity. This was the reason that for so many years I have used felt pens. Staedtler's Pigment Liners to be precise; but inking with a felt tip pen always felt off (pun not intended). The con of the brush pen is variety. When I worked with conventional brushes I always had three (3) broad brush for filling, a number 2 for most everything else and a number 0 for detail. While versatile with the pentel brush pen, what you see is what you get.