Had a fun encounter on the drive up to ConnectiCon 2013.

Here's a quick video of Kishimoto penciling and inking a Naruto pinup.  I love seeing manga-ka use the G-pen nibs.  I've got a few and have contemplated using them for YP.  But I think I need to draw a little bigger to get the line I'm looking for.  I have no idea what he's saying.  Probably something, GO SEE PACIFIC RIM DATTEBAYO!

Apropos of absolutely nothing, here's me jamming out to Maceo Parker's "Shake Everything You Got."  Because happy music.

Adrienne K saw The Lone Ranger so the rest of us don't have to and her scathing take down of the film post on Native Appropriations pretty much confirms all of my fears about this stinking pile of mess.

I'm not sure who this fucking thing was for.  There's no nostalgia for this character for anyone under the age of 90.  Tonto was always going to be a problem.  In the radio show, he was the total embodiment of the Noble Savage caricature.  He's not exactly a character I'd hold up as representative of my people were I Native American.  Casting Johnny Derp in the role is a final slap in the face to Native Americans.

Oh, but he's one twentiethteenth Native-- shut the fuck up!  No one thinks of him as Native anything.  If he truly stood up for Native representation, he would have backed down and told Disney to cast someone who doesn't need a flow chart to prove they have some Native blood somewhere in their long lost ancestry.  The only good Depp has done in portraying this character is that it's stirred up the conversation about Native representation in Hollywood.

In truth, judging from Adrienne's review, it doesn't seem like it would have mattered who was cast in the role.  Even if Tonto was portrayed by a Native actor, the movie would still fail to connect with audiences.  I'm kind of glad a Native actor wasn't attached to this playing an insane caricature of his people.  We can point to it as a failure of substance rather than a failure of trying something new by casting a Native lead.  This was never going to be a movie that accurately portrayed Native anything.

From: Native Appropriations

Lucy Knisley is one of my favorite cartoonists and her autobio work is amazing.  In this 20 minute presentation, she gives a little insight into why she likes drawing travel log comics and how you can start your own.

And now I expect all of you to do travel log comics!!!

It's New Comic Day which means that Book 1, Back to the Grind, is now available through Comixology!

I asked them about getting some codes to give to people who donated to the Book Kicker and to anyone who has every bought a physical book from me.  Unfortunately, they don't offer that service through the program I submitted the book.  But, if you've never purchased a book from me and prefer to collect comics in a digital format, the Comixology version is just for you!

When I finish getting all the kickfunder things out, I'll probably submit book 2 as well.  So if you're one of the many Comixology converts, keep and eye out for more stuff from me!

This is exactly like Dangerous Minds except instead of Michelle Pfeiffer being all inspirational with a Koolio jam in the background, we have Gouta Araki beating some learning into some troubled students.  Fuck detention.  If you don't pay attention in class, Kamen Teacher will punch some math into your brain!

Man, if they offered Masked Teaching as a major in college, I'd be teaching the shit out of people right now.

From: Henshin Justice

Got a con this weekend and next so I'm trying to work a little ahead. Got most of Wednesday inked and shit which you can see in this timelapse.  This is 2 hours condensed into the 3min.

I've seen the videos of the coke machines in Hong Kong that sell self freezing Coke and I've seen videos of the same trick with beer.  This video teaches you how to do it yourself!

Now I've tried this trick and it didn't quite work for me.  The Coke ended up icing up in the freezer before I took it out so I didn't get to see the instant freeze stuff.  But I did end up with a nice, ice cold glass of Coke.  I suspect I didn't shake it up enough initially to build up the pressure.  It's likely I'll try this again and again until I get it right because I want me a Coke slushy.

Some thoughts on web design for webcomics. Actually, it's just one thought.