Greetings fans!
No sooner than the triple digit heat calms down, now we get that wonderful steamy, sticking, energy-draining humidity. I thought I left this in Hawaii 13 years ago. I mention this because the weather has affected progress on my 2nd Cosmic Force Prequel project "Just Imagine." I'm still shooting for a completion month of late August, but it will be slow-going due to uncomfortable working conditions. I'm also going to be submitting "Damn Tourists" for consignment at Hi De Ho Comics in Santa Monica, as well as mailing copies to the Hawaii Comic Book Alliance back on Oahu to sell at Amazing Comic Con Aloha in August. While I can't be there physically due to low finances, my books can at least have a presence there, and longtime friends and family in my home state can get a first look at my work since I moved away from the islands. Lastly in Carter Comics-related news, I am confirmed as an artist vendor at the second annual Open Arts and Music Festival in Glendale on Saturday September 15th. In addition to promoting and selling my work there, I will also be conducting a 30-minute demonstration on how to draw a figure of speech.
On the non-carter comics side of the news, I had another busy weekend which actually began on Thursday night with the fantastic 40th anniversary screening of Superman the Movie. It was a surreal experience to see a movie I've watched thousands of times in the comfort of my own home, finally in a movie theater. Since the film originally was released two years before I was born, I never got the chance to view it in all its cinematic glory. It was great watching it not only with friends from work, but a packed house os Superman fans, laughing and cheering along the way. There was even an appearance by surviving producer Ilya Salkind and actor Jack O'Halloran (who played Kryptonian villain Non in the film). Friday was a return to Los Tres Hermanos to hear and see my good friends Angel and Frankie rock the bar/restaurant again with funky r&b and latin covers (The Gap Band's "Outstanding" being the stand-out), and Sunday was a last-minute viewing of a play reading I was invited to by my good artist friend Donna.
But it was really all about Saturday night. As the title of this email states, "The Kings of Soft Rock" took over Hollywood Bowl that evening (as well as Friday night) with Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and the headliner Michael McDonald, belting out their soothing, soulful, and sometimes hard-rocking classic tunes. Unlike James Taylor the month before, I wasn't alone this time, and took my mother as an early birthday present for her. As it was her first trip to the Bowl, she was initially in awe of the venue, and wasn't able to comprehend her enjoyment of the concert until the next day. The real treat of this show for me was the fact that all three artists are musically linked not just by the genre they produce, but by collaborating with one another on lyrics and vocals. Christopher Cross's 1980 hit "Ride Like the Wind" features Michael McDonald on backing vocals, which he also did here at the bowl. Then when it was McDonald's turn to take the stage, who would join him on his 1979 Doobie Brothers #1 hit "What a Fool Believes" than co-writer of the song Kenny Loggins. As for Loggins himself, he rocked the bowl as well with his own catalogue of big hits, ending of course with his two signature tunes the 1986 "Danger Zone" and the 1984 anthem "Footloose." My only regret is that Michael McDonald didn't come out a third time to sing backup on Loggins' 1982 hit "Heart to Heart." Overall it was a fantastic show, and as you can probably tell by me noting the years these songs were released, I'm a soft rock nerd. Wanna fight about it?
So that was my end of week and weekend in a nut shell. This week I'll be continuing work on "Just Imagine," and I have a few surprises in mind when it comes to my Mongoose Mondays books. Definitely stay tuned for that. Enjoy your week!
Regards,
Allen Carter
Carter Comics