The house on the hill

While I'm generally nostalgic in what I listen to and watch, I found myself this week thinking about my childhood years alot----specifically a point in my preteen days that helped shape the person that I am today. That thinking brought me to an extremely influential two-and-a half year period in my young life, where my family and I lived in a house on a big hill.

Well, technically it was more like a small mountain, but a hill just sounds better. Anyway, these two years or so start in the summer of 1987 and end in the fall of 1989. Living on the island of O'ahu's Wai'anae Coast at the time since 1984, my mother and father (both teachers), moved up the coast from the community of Ma'ili to the city of Waianae around July of '87. Summer was the easiest time for two teachers to move their family, and it had become a tradition for us at this point. I still remember arriving at our new place for the first time, and seeing how big everything about it was: A large carport, a lanai (or patio) that snaked around half of the house, which in itself was steeple-shaped with high ceilings, hanging chandelier, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms (the second bedroom was upstairs and completely uncovered like a cabin, only the upstairs bathroom and shower were covered). The yard was another great part, which had a few large pine trees, and some cactus. 

But hey, this is more about what my life was like living in the house, not the house itself. Having turned seven years old over the summer, I was just the right age to ride my bike out in our new neighborhood, and here I met my first neighborhood friends to explore our street. I still remember David and Misty, who both lived right across the street from me, riding their bikes over to my carport as my family was moving in to introduce themselves. We went on numerous adventures to areas we weren't supposed to get near (all part of being young, invincible, and stupid). One legendary adventure was to a quarry area down the hill from us, where we tried to do some off-roading with our bikes. That went well for everyone but me, as I completely ate it on an area we called "suicide hill." Thanks well-placed rock that knocked me off my bike. There were some fun happenings in our house too. My family picked up our very first VCR (betamax), and we lost our minds trying to tape everything on TV, including a whole day of music videos. Then there was the time when my sister beat Super Mario 2 for the very first time. What really made this special was that I called my friends into the house to watch her, as none of us had done this yet. We were hanging on every near-death hit until she finally conquered the last boss, Wart. The yard even had some good times too, such as my birthday celebrations. My parents had purchased a slip-and-slide for my party, with my father testing it first to hilarious results when he slipped and fell on his butt down the slide. In retrospect, It probably wasn't the best idea to ask for such a party accessory when both our house and yard were built on a slope with a mostly dirt yard, but again, young and stupid. My first and only clubhouse was another great memory here. After constantly trying to build myself a clubhouse out of backyard scrap metal that my father would constantly have to remove, he gave in and constructed a proper one out of plywood from the local hardware store several miles out of town (thanks City Mill Waimalu). My friends and I used it all the time, and I even begged my parents to let me sleep in it. I learned the hard way how bad of an idea that was, as I became a feast for mosquitoes. My city planning interests began in this steeple palace as well when I was given a race track set that resembled a network of highways. It later grew into a large model city that took up a large portion of the living room, with modified boxes for buildings, hot wheels/matchbox cars, an erector set mall and bridge, even box plastic for windows.  Our next door neighbors gave us a very memorable moment when they caught a large swordfish one saturday night, and they gave us some of the meat to cook up. I can still see this enormous fish covering most of their boat, and me just standing in awe of it all.

By far though, the biggest moment to happen at this house on a hill was creating my first comic book. I had become a big fan of the few superhero cartoons that were airing during this time (fall 1988), and at some point, just pretending to be Spider-Man or one of the X-Men with my friends wasn't cutting it anymore. All this media and playmate inspiration led to the creation of an early version of "Cosmic Force:" Six half-human, half-eagle super-powered crimefighters who defend the state of Michigan against the evil forces of Wild Cat, a super-strong feline, and Eviloid, a powerful sorcerer. While I wrote and illustrated the first issue at my mom's apartment (shortly after she and my father separated), I finished that book along with the other nine books I created out of legal sheets and construction paper at that special house. I loved showing both my neighborhood friends and classmates what I was working on even then, which would be some early training for the comic conventions and comic shop consignment reviews I would do today.

And that's how just one move, one house, and one neighborhood became a two-and-a-half year coming of age story for me. From biking adventures with my first next door friends, to hilarious birthday bashes, my introduction to Nintendo and video recorders, building a model city that took up precious living room space, family separations, to the birth of a comic I sell at large conventions today, this wooden steeple palace will always hold a special place in my heart for as long as I live.

Rewatching "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"

Ok, so I broke my own rule once again. This week's blog was supposed to be about more TV inspirations, but I had a much better Idea for a topic. I owned three out of four seasons of the 1990s live-action series "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," and last night I felt like popping in the first season. Having watched this show during its original run, I fell in love with it all over again. Just going into the first two episodes shows you how special this series was. Unfortunately, this TV version of the Superman story tends to get either forgotten by casual viewers, and bashed by comic fans, which I always found unfair. This show put a unique spin on The Man of Steel, and in doing so, was able to focus more on characters and settings you don't get to see much of in previous media versions.

First and foremost: The unique spin on reversing the Clark Kent/Superman roles was genius. Having Clark be the real person and Superman the disguise fit perfectly with the show's more grounded approach, since the focus was on the relationship between Lois Lane and Clark Kent (hence the show's title),  Superman was a much smaller part of the show----which was a good thing, because as much as I liked Dean Cain as Clark, he was a pretty mediocre Superman. The constant changing of the costume didn't help either (the cape and "S" shield especially). However, since he was only Superman for brief periods throughout the show, it was not a very big issue for me. What I also liked was the focus on The Daily Planet, which was only touched upon in certain scenes from the Richard Donner films. I really enjoyed the "office family" dynamic between Lois, Clark, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White, with Perry as a father figure to both Jimmy and Lois especially, and sometimes Clark. The late Lane Smith, who played the editor in chief, really made this character his own and made quite the definitive live action version of him. The tweak of White being an Elvis fan and saying "great shades of elvis" instead of "great caesar's ghost" as in the original comic and 1950s TV series with George Reeves (which this show reminds me of a bit now that I think about it), was very entertaining and spawned alot of great comedy scenes in the office. The Kents were adorable, having them visit Clark alot from Smallville with his parents getting to know Lois and Perry at the Planet.

Now, here's where the most underrated performer and character rears his head: Actor John Shea's version of Lex Luthor. In most lists of TV and movie versions of the character (with Michael Rosenbaum's performance of the character in "Smallville" rightfully topping those lists), Shea's performance tends to get unfairly overlooked. Alot of what was done with his Lex was revolutionary from a comic and non-comic fan standpoint. This was the first live-action Lex that was portrayed as a corrupt billionaire, echoing his comic counterpart from the John Byrne "Man of Steel" reboot comic from 1986. No longer a mad scientist or a con-man obsessed with real estate, Shea's Luthor was a wealthy businessman who employed more than half of Metropolis, and is beloved by citizens, who don't know anything about his secret criminal activities. He's also suave and good-looking, in order to woo Lois away from Clark/Superman. Shea's performance, like Lane Smith's is absolutely spot-on as a self-centered tycoon with an almost regal style to his evil doings. As an added note, pairing him with the late Tony Jay as his assistant Nigel (which could be looked at as a precursor to Mercy Graves in the Bruce Timm cartoons) was pure magic. They worked so well together that you almost enjoyed watching them, no matter what dastardly deeds they were performing.

So, those are just some of my thoughts on a series that should get more due that it does in the ranks of live action Superman shows. While the effects are dated, the styles of the characters are fairly timeless, the characters themselves are still likeable as a "work family," and the show as a whole is bursting with so much heart. To anyone that has never seen or heard of this show, I will recommend the first two seasons, as they are all around excellent. The third season starts off strong, but loses direction by the end, and the fourth and final season got so bad I barely watched it. But hey, I'm trying to convince you to watch this great series, so just forget about the last thing I said. What am I going to talk about next week? I don't know yet, but rest assured, it will be interesting.

Wondercon 2015: where's your table?

Yep, it's that time again. Well, it's not just time for my weekly blog, but it's the start of convention season with Wondercon Anaheim having just wrapped up their huge 2015 show. With every year, this show just keeps getting bigger and better. Unfortunately, this was the first show I had to back out of as a small press exhibitor due to financial problems. Instead, I purchased a badge for Easter Sunday to check out this year's show floor, and more importantly, support my many artist friends---and boy was everyone here!

Out of exhibitor habit (and because the golden state freeway generally sucks), I left my place in North Hollywood at 8:30 in the morning. I arrived at the Anaheim Convention Center at about 9:45, and didn't have much trouble finding parking in the adjacent structure. While sunday had apparently sold out at that time, I must've arrived at just the right time before parking became a problem, if it ever did. If there was any negative side to the show this year, I didn't really care for the "attendee corral" used after everyone had already picked up their badges and program guides, and were herded like cattle into a makeshift line that was right next to an open space leading to the convention floor. I felt like I was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon where a wooden door is placed in the middle of an open desert. From an exhibitor perspective, it was a great business strategy though, as the floor entrance people were herded into was Artist Alley----which once again had HUGE crowds in their aisles. From my three year experience as a small press vendor at this show, there has been quite a tug-of-war between the "Small Press" and "Artist Alley" floor spaces at Wondercon. It seems that the "alley" gets more promotion (Artist Alley was advertised in the program guide) and premier placement than the "press." While that never affected sales for me at previous shows, as I sell more books and make more money consistently at this show than any other show I do, seeing the huge crowds in artist alley and then watching a lesser amount of customers walk through small press can be very discouraging to a press vendor. In the end, choosing which section to exhibit at depends on what you value more: space, more visibility, or price, as alley tables are $200 are 6 ft, and press tables are $300 for 8 ft with large back walls and curtains. I tend to like spreading out, so I always go with small press, which is what I will probably choose for next year.

Now, onto my experience walking the show floor. The main reason for the title of this blog is because this is the one question that was asked of all my fellow artist friends I visited: "So, where's your table?" As many times as I heard this throughout the show, it didn't annoy me one bit. It actually made me feel more a part of the indy comic vendor convention family. There were at least 15 artists there that I knew from previous conventions, past jobs, or comic professional meetings, so I'll mention as many of them as I can: There was 9-year old fan art prodigy Ethan Castillo (along with his father John), who was my artist alley neighbor at Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con last year, Comic Arts Professional Society members Scott Shaw, Sergio Aragones, Lonnie Milsap, David Calcano, and Alex Thompson,  Tobias Geibhardt (a vendor neighbor from Long Beach Comic Con), Mark Rivers (a former co-worker with whom I shared artist tables with at conventions), Paul Jamison (who I met at Pulp Fiction Comics artist alley, and rode up to Tulare Sci Fi Con with), The Fanboy Comics Gang of Barbra Dillon, Bryant Dillon, Sebastian Kadlecik, and Sam Rhodes (who were my small press neighbors one year ago at Wondercon), Josh Hauke (another Pulp Fiction Comics Artist Alley neighbor), Madeline-Holly-Rising (who reviewed one of my books "Damn Tourists issue 1."), and JD Correa (who I just met at the last convention I did, San Fernando Valley Comic Con the week before). If I missed anyone I apologize, as there were just so many people I was talking too. All of them loved how the show went, and how big the crowds were, and most importantly, how willing they were to shell out money for new artwork and books. I even got to hang with my buddy Eric Wallace, who I met through friends at a concert back in 2010. It turns out that my CAPS buddy David Calcano is a fan of the band Eric and I saw live, british jazz-funk band Level 42, so it's definitely a small world.

After talking with my artist friends and hanging with Eric, I left the show about an hour before they closed at 5:00, but not without picking up some work from both fellow indy artist friends and some new vendors. Specifically, I purchased Madeline's book "Boston Metaphysical Society." It was overall a fantastic show that got me more motivated to finish all of my outstanding projects (freelance and my own), so I can return to Wondercon 2016 with brand new material at my small press table.

Oh, and speaking of next year's show, the big news (thanks to Paul Jamison first) is that Wondercon will be moving to the Los Angeles Convention Center downtown. Other details such as dates and if this move is temporary or permanent haven't been confirmed as of yet, but some news sources have said that this is just for a one year contract, as the Anaheim Convention Center is undergoing some renovations and Wondercon couldn't get their desired dates there. What does this mean for me? higher parking fees and perhaps a smaller convention floor, but a closer drive and a more central location that will attract more people. Only time will tell, but whatever happens, expect to see me behind the table once again come next year!  Next week, I'll get back to my "inspirations" series, so until then!

Carter Comics Returns to SF Valley Comic Con!

My fourth appearance at this show marks a full year since I've been appearing at this local comic convention back on March 16th, 2014. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this event, the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention is an event held at the Granada Hills Pavilion in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. While it is primarily a collector's show consisting of mostly comic dealers and toy vendors, it also hosts appearances of legendary actors, established comic artists and cartoonists, up-and-coming television and film talent, skilled craftspeople,  and of course, independent comic creators----though I think this was the first show here where I was the only indy comic artist on the guests list. How was the show for both myself and as a whole? Let's review:

As with most conventions I exhibit at, I got to the building about an hour early to set up at 9:15 with the show starting at 10:00, excited to see how the event would go this year. While this is a small sized convention, the crowd is very loyal and remembers you if you did any previous shows there. That brings me to the show's three organizers, Rick Flake,  Bob Ranken and Joe Williamson. Knowing them for a full year now,  they have gone above and beyond to make this show a fun event for everyone three times a year (Spring, Summer, and Fall) since 2013. Joe in particular has helped alot in getting me exposure on radio shows and podcasts the last two years thanks to his entertainment connections. That being said, being the only indy comic artist at a convention like this turned out to be a good thing, as I was a veteran vendor to some customers, and I stood out more to new ones. I made some great sales throughout the show (eight books with a profit of $65.00) thanks to customers both familiar and unfamiliar. I also did a total of three interviews discussing my work. The first two were from friends Dulcy Brightman, a video blogger (who I met at Long Beach Comic Con last year, and also attended SF Valley Comic Con last November), and Kinte Indy Showcase, a podcast host and friend of Joe Williamson who interviewed me on his show last year.  The third was Casey Driver, a photographer and videographer who asked me alot of questions about my Hawaii upbringing. We then exchanged business cards, and I asked him to put the video he shot of me up on youtube.  I did get to walk around the show floor a bit once my good friend Andy showed up to support me as well, and I spoke with director Thomas Churchill, actress/singer Priscilla Soltero (both of whom I met through Joe at the Pasadena Comic and Toy Show), artist JD Correa, and Steven E Gordon, whose work I admired when he was the character designer on the "X-Men: Evolution" animated series. Looking through his character prints, I asked him if he had one for Iceman (one of my favorite mutants), but sadly he didn't have one. He did say that he was planning on creating prints for the "new recruits" characters from "evolution" soon. When I returned to my table, I then had actor Carel Struycken (best known for playing Lurch from the Addams Family movies) come by my table to see my work. As we're talking, a star-struck fan interrupts us to take a picture with him. A nice moment. The only person I didn't get to speak to was TV producer John Semper, who appeared out of nowhere to attend the show. I admired his work on the Spider-Man animated series from the 1990s, a show that was the first to take the wall-crawler seriously. As I didn't want to leave my table again to stalk him, I just thought to myself "there's always next time."

And there will be a next time, as before I packed up and left the show when it ended at 4:00, I asked Bob Ranken when his next convention at the Pavilion will be. So, look for me back in Granada Hills in August for SF Valley Comic Con's second show of the year. In the meantime, I will be attending a signing this wednesday at The Comic Bug in Culver City for writer friend David Walker, then I will be attending Wondercon on Easter Sunday to support my fellow indy artists there. So I will be moving the TV inspiration topic back another week in order to discuss Wondercon 2015. It already feels weird and sad not being able to be a part of the show as I have been the last three years, but attending is still the next best thing. Until next week, have a Happy Easter everyone!

My TV Inspriations Part 2: Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

In my last blog, I mentioned that my next media inspiration wasn't live-action.  This was a cartoon that I've mentioned alot on various podcast interviews as the sole reason I fell in love with the superhero genre to begin with, as well as my introduction to a certain comics universe. The cartoon is none other than the legendary "Spider-Man: and his Amazing Friends."

Originally debuting back in September of 1981, "Amazing Friends" ran on NBC thanks to the success of a solo Spider-Man series that ran in syndication that same year. The premise was that the solo wall-crawler is now teaming up with two other superheroes, former X-Men mutants Iceman and Firestar (the latter beign created for the show). The three, called the "Spider-Friends,"  all live with Peter's Aunt May while attending college in New York's ESU, and fighting various marvel villains. The original run lasted until about 1983 (which I missed having been born three years earlier), so I discovered this show later on in 1988 when it was re-run on a syndicated cartoon block called "Marvel Action Universe," which also included the cartoons "Robocop" and "Dino-Riders." It was bad enough that it was syndicated on a cable access channel where I lived, but it came on on Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m.  So, even at eight years old, I was a dedicated TV viewer. Anyway, onto my thoughts on the show: I loved it! Having a team of superheroes (even if it's only three) just ramps up the excitement, as well as the trademark transformation sequence whenever they had a mission. I have to say though, that the main reason I watched this show was for Iceman, period. Watching him surfing on his "ice-slides" throughout every episode just looked like so much fun, and is the main reason I like a lot of other "cold-based" comic book characters like "Mr. Freeze" and "Captain Cold." The other reason was for the appearances of other supeheroes like the other X-Men members, and villains like Kraven, The Beetle, and The Shocker.

What was the direct inspiration this show had on me wanting to get into comics? Well, there wasn't a direct one, but it did introduce me to the team dynamic that helped me develop one of my first comic series "Cosmic Force."  There was another show on this cartoon lineup that pushed superhero teams even further, and I'll talk about that one in two weeks, as I will be exhibiting at the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention this Sunday, and I'll have a review of the show and how I did sales wise shortly after the show is over. So, until sunday evening!

My TV inspirations Part 1: Unsolved Mysteries

This question recently popped into my head during my appearance at Tulare Sci-Fi Con last weekend, when another vendor asked me if I use to doodle on my school assignments as a kid. That got me thinking about some of the things that inspired me to get into comics in the first place.  The answer? TV, lots of TV. Yes, it may seem odd that watching television as a kid drew me to comics, but it's something that just happened in that order for me. As I have more than one small-screen-based inspiration, and because I have quite alot to say about each of them, I'll be breaking up these discussions into four parts. This week, I'll be discussing the show that had a lasting impression on me both professionally and personally: "Unsolved Mysteries."

Growing up, I was never a big fan of the horror flicks that were popular at the time (in my case, the mid-to late '80s) such as "Friday The 13th," "Halloween," or "Nightmare On Elm Street." Instead, I was drawn more to cheesy low-budget movies that were more comedy than horror like "Maximum Overdrive," and "The Stuff" (although parts of George Romero's and Stephen King's Creepshow series did legitimately scare me as a kid).  Overall though, there wasn't much on television or in the movies that I could go to for a "terror fix." Enter "Unsolved Mysteries" in 1987. Originally hosted by "Perry Mason" himself Raymond Burr as a one-time special (which I don't think I watched by the way), it was a news-magazine style show that focused on of course, unsolved cases, everything from missing persons, murders, legends, psychics, and my favorite: UFO sightings and abductions. When it was picked up as a series, former "untouchables" star Robert Stack (though I knew him best as Captain Rex Kramer from "Airplane") took over as the show's permanent host. What made this show beyond scary and awesome were three things: Robert Stack's voice, the incredibly well produced re-enactments, and of course, one of the creepiest tv themes ever composed. As much as it scared me as a child, I couldn't get enough of it. Who cares if this show gave me countless nightmares? It's all in the name of entertainment, mental scarring be damned! Even though the show has long since been cancelled and I just have my dvd box sets, I still watch them religiously and only at night to really set the mood of this creepy program.

So you're probably wondering at this point: How did THIS show inspire me to write and draw comics? Well at first, it didn't. As I got older though, I had still been producing a superhero comic series that I had worked on since I was about eight years old. By this time I was in high school. and my tastes had changed when it came to stories in general, whether they came off a comic page, a tv screen, or film screen. I became much more interested in writing stories based on my personal interests, rather than standard superhero plots involving bank robberies. That's when I remembered how much I enjoyed "Unsolved Mysteries" growing up, and wanted to write a story based on elements from different episodes of the show (specifically the UFO stories), and involve my superhero characters.  Out of all that came "Cosmic Force." Their origin story was based off of two of my favorite UFO stories from the show: "Australian UFO," where a pilot flying a single engine Cessna encounters a strange green light and vanishes, never to be seen again, and "Missing Time," which chronicles several people who claim they witnessed strange objects in the sky, and then cannot account for a large amount of time that was lost shortly thereafter. Aside from terrifying me as a kid, what I also loved about this show was the "mystery" aspect of it. Not knowing what really happened during a case and drawing your own conclusions as to what may have transpired. You don't always need to know the answer to everything, and that just makes things more interesting.

So that's the reason for my being inspired by the creepy, sometimes paranormal "Unsolved Mysteries." Next week, I'll be speaking about another TV show that helped steer me toward four-color panels, and while I won't mention what it is just yet, I will say this: It's not live action.

Until then!

 

Tulare Sci-Fi Con 2015 Wrap up:

Well, I just got back from my first artist alley exhibitor appearance of the year at Tulare Science Fiction Convention this past weekend (which happens to be my first appearance at this two-year old show), and boy..........................DID I HAVE A BLAST!  I'm sure you thought I'd just use that classic punchline about being exhausted-----well, I was exhausted too, but my overall satisfaction of this show completely overrides my fatigue. While the event offered free tables to artists, it was still quite the gamble to take, given the remote location of the convention (Tulare, California, a small town between Bakersfield and Fresno), but luckily that gamble paid off. Why was it so great? and what did I like about it? Well, let's review.

Before I begin my exhibitor's review of this show, I have to send a very special thanks to friend and fellow artist alley vendor Paul Jamison of superheronetwork.com, for inviting me to ride with him to the show and crash at his hotel. My Jetta wasn't in the best condition for the trip, nor did I have much disposable income for lodging. Now onto the show: Given the lack of signage and extra promotion, I was pleasantly surprised at how many people showed up for both days. Not only that, but because this was an area starving for comic conventions (among other events), it was a very appreciative crowd. Many of the customers I interacted with would return to purchase my merchandise as promised, if they didn't have money on them at the time or if they wanted to purchase other items first. That's something you definitely don't get at the bigger shows. I was also shocked at how many customers picked up the first issue of my "Cosmic Force" series, since it's usually a poor seller at shows such as Wondercon and Long Beach Comic Con. I actually sold more issues of "Cosmic Force" than my usual big seller "Damn Tourists" (though this was only by one). One person purchased the first two issues of my "Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" series, which I thought would be the most popular of the three at a show with a family crowd. Just goes to show you that sometimes you just can't tell what people want, which is one of the reasons why I write and illustrate three different books. The show ended with yours truly being interviewed by a reporter for the Tulare Times on my experience at the convention. Just one of those things that happens at these shows that you don't see coming, but you're sure glad they happened.

So, is this a show I'd exhibit at again? HELL YEAH! All they need to improve on is better promotion, some signage (I'm looking in your direction too Central Coast Comic Con), and keep it a two day event. Too many new comic conventions seem to over-extend themselves when it comes to show dates. Unless you've built up a rapidly growing fan base like a Wondercon, there's no need to add another day. With that being said, I look forward to next year's show even if they start charging for tables at that point. Based off of this year, the experience would still be worth it.

 

Damn, those tourists

As I mentioned in last week's blog, I'll be explaining the creation of my satire series about four super-powered annoying tourists who spend their days traveling to different states and countries, all while never realizing how repulsed residents and other visitors are by their behavior. That series, of course, is called: "Damn Tourists!"

Well, the way this series got started is one of those times where an idea just pops into your head instantly. Coming home from college on the bus one day back in Hawaii, a rental car cuts us off (no resident drives a bright yellow convertible in the islands), and the first thing I'm thinking is "these tourists just don't know how to drive."  BINGO! From there, I quickly wrote down a quick summary and some character names on some notebook paper while still on the bus. When I got home, I typed up a proper treatment on a laptop, but it took several years until I had a proper story in order to kick off the series. When those several years were up, here's what I came up with:

Four clueless travelers, with the names "Mr. Invincible," "Ms. Informed," "Mr. Postcard," and "Mr. Aloha," each possess an obnoxious behavior on vacation that is so obnoxious, it's super-human. Simply put, these are annoying tourists taken to the extreme.

- Mr Invincible is an inattentive traveler, who will bump into/run over anyone or anything, because he is too wrapped up in sightseeing. Fortunately for him, none of these collisions do him any harm due to his "tunnel-vision." Unfortunately for everyone else, they must steer clear of his "inattentive wrath."

-Ms. Informed is the type of traveler who believes she knows it all, when in reality she knows nothing. About what you ask? The history of wherever she is, mispronouncing even the simplest of foreign terms, etc. When traveling to France, she'd expect everyone to be wearing berets and carrying french bread with them. This behavior is so bad, that she gives others around her severe migranes due to her "facts."

-Mr. Postcard is the resident photographer of the group, and his annoying ability hits you twice. He's not just a bad photographer, always taking photos with his thumb on the lens or missing the subject he's photographing entirely, but the camera flash he uses is the brightest ever manufactured.

-Mr. Aloha is above all, the trademark goofy tourist of this group (and in this group, that's really saying something). He never goes anywhere without the largest collection of tacky, bright, loud floral wear. So loud, in fact, that the shirt actually fires a sonic blast at all times.

Despite their "vacation abilities," these tourists are welcomed (at least initially) to each destination they travel to with open arms. Why? They have a limitless disposable income, picking up bucketloads of tacky souvenirs, the most expensive rental cars and hotels, and so forth. In return for their spending frenzy, these travel destinations treat them like royalty, giving them free admission to all visitor attractions, free extended hotel says, and even highways made especially for them. As mentioned earlier, this excuses their behavior to a point, but this clueless foursome always finds away to unknowingly take things one step too far. As a result, each travel adventure always ends with them being chased out of their destinations. As the series continues, you will see other visitors and especially residents try to figure out where these "Damn Tourists" are originally from, a mystery that will not be easy to solve, as no city, state, or country would ever want to take responsibility for housing them.

So, think of "Damn Tourists" as a "how-not-to" guide when it comes to behaving on vacation, as well as poking fun at some states and cities over-reliance on income from visitors. So whenever you decide to use that vacation time you have saved up from work, just think of these four, and do the complete opposite of what they do.

Just a reminder that this weekend will be my first convention appearance of 2015: The Tulare Sci-Fi Con this saturday and sunday, so naturally my next blog will cover my experience, customer interaction, and sales from that show. Until then!

 

The Birth of a "Cosmic Force."

I had so much fun discussing my "Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" character and series here last week, that I decided to keep that theme going with the very first comic book series I wrote and illustrated----and it's a far cry from the comic strip adventures of Mr. Mongoose. It's a science-fiction/superhero chapter-based series called "Cosmic Force."

While the "Cosmic Force" that comic convention attendees know currently is a layered story arc of a comic book series, the idea started as far back as October 1988 when I was entering third grade (believe it or not). This was a more light-hearted version heavy on action and short on dialogue and character development (hey, I was only 8 years old), inspired by saturday morning superhero cartoons. The original premise involved two retired superheroes from Detroit, Michigan, moving to Honolulu, Hawaii to start new lives. Their retirement doesn't last long, as they find that Hawaii also has its own crop of super-powered crimefighters. After battling their first villain created by a hospital operation gone horribly wrong, they form a team to help protect the island chain. As I grew older, my love of superhero comics and cartoons increased, but what I wanted out of them changed. Instead of craving action and cool costumes, I began to appreciate dramatic storytelling and character backstories. These traits of course, carried on into my own superhero tale "Cosmic Force," which I was still developing at this time (I was a senior in high school at this point). One day in homeroom, I was coloring a mock magazine cover I did featuring my C-Force characters. This was going to be more than just a great cover, but also a mock interview with the Cosmic Force members, asking them how they got together and received their abilities. Then it dawned on me: I don't know how they formed the team or got their powers, because I never wrote an actual origin story! Well, that's how the current version of Cosmic Force comes into play:

Channeling my childhood love of the series "Unsolved Mysteries," I began to write the kind of story that gave readers more questions than answers. The new (and current) premise is about five ordinary individuals living in Honolulu, Hawaii in the late 1980s: Kevin Simons, a TV station intern, Sandra Winters, a nurse, Bryan Snarski, a retail store manager, Brandon Quitog, a cashier, and Daniel Stafford, a public defender.  While none of them have previously met, they all happen to meet in the same open field on the island of O'ahu to watch a meteor shower one night. Suddenly in the middle of the shower, five bright multi-colored objects appear out of nowhere, and attack each of these individuals, seemingly killing them. The next day the fivesome wake up across town in an abandoned building, alive and relatively unharmed. One thing is different, however: Each of them has been transformed from the inside out, possessing strange new abilities that seem to be triggered by their personalities, as well as being dressed in odd-looking spacesuits with pale skin, no hair, glowing colored eyes, and weird tattoos on their foreheads. If that isn't enough to handle, they later discover that it has been two years since the shower, not twenty-four hours, and the rest of the world has declared them dead due to their extended disappearance.  Overwhelmed and rightfully afraid to re-enter society, the now super-powered fivesome resort to squatting in several abandoned structures on the island, trying to control their new "talents," and make some sense of what their lives have become. Meanwhile, Two F.B.I. agents, Bruce Higgins and Rex Jones, who were assigned to investigate the disappearance of the "meteor shower spectators," have now joined forces with air force Colonel David Mansher, after the agents suspect that the spectator quintet's "deaths" were probably not an accident, but rather caused by extra-terrestrials. They eventually corner the future Cosmic Force outside an abandoned Castle Amusement Park, where a battle later ensues. Armed with experimental military weapons, the three government officials briefly stop the fivesome, only to be distracted by a horrified public on nearby freeways, as this once nocturnal confrontation is now exposed to the sunrise. The Cosmic Force later defeat the weapon-wielding officials, and disappear (for real this time, thanks to one of their abilities). Resurfacing farther away from civilization, the quintet finally have a chance to relax and cope with what has happened to them in the past two years, which also includes their family and friends having to cope with their loss, and having to be told by the media that their loved ones were murdered by aliens. Much more occurs in the series, including such revelations as conflicts between the group due to their age differences, Daniel Stafford finding out that he has a son his ex-wife never told him about, Bryan Snarski's estranged parents designing the very weapons the government is using to eliminate the Cosmic Force, and most importantly, Kevin Simons' former supervisor and family friend, news/weather reporter Shannon Lima not only dating Kevin's father, but also discovering the Cosmic Force's secret.

Sound exciting? or at the very least intriguing? Well, if you'd like to read about this series, you can pick up the first five issues as an online download through my shop on this website, or on amazon kindle. If you still like to read something in your hands that you can turn pages with, ordering issues 1-5 through indyplanet.com is for you. And finally, if you want to see both the books and the creator of them in person, you can do that at various comic book conventions around California, with my first one being Tulare Sci Fi Con next weekend! I will also be debuting a trade paperback called "Cosmic Force" Volume One," which will include the first chapter of the series, issues 1 through 4!

Stay tuned next week, when I talk about how I took an idea about a group of annoying tourists, and turned it into an exciting new and hilarious satire comic book series. Until then!

All about the mongoose.

I think that title is pretty self-explanatory. In most of my podcast and radio interviews, I've been asked what the story is behind me creating a cartoon mongoose that likes to perform "puns" and "everyday expressions" in illustration form. It's actually a quite bizarre and interesting one.

Growing up in Hawaii, we didn't have alot of wildlife, and the little that we had was all imported. One of those imports was the mongoose from Central America. It was brought over to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1800s to help bring down the population of another imported animal: the rat. There was one problem with this, however: The mongoose hunted during the day, while the rats were nocturnal. This caused the mongoose to become an invasive species itself, as it resorted to feeding on native birds and their eggs. 

Despite this reputation, I found mongooses to be incredibly intriguing animals as a kid. They have the perfect blend of being "cute" yet "ferocious." Also, it's one of the few animals that hasn't been overused as a cartoon character (not since the 1975 chuck jones cartoon "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi). Of course, my Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose isn't a snake-killer. He started out as "The Traveling Mongoose, a potential mascot for TheBus, Honolulu's privately-run city bus system. When that failed due to a lack of financial cooperation from TheBus, I held onto the character for a few more years, finally repackaging him in 2013 as "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose." The new name and gimmick for the character was based on his previous roots: I had created a comic strip and short flash cartoon called "catching the bus," where the mongoose misses his bus, only to pull it back toward him using a fishing line. Since the phrase "catching the bus" is a figure-of-speech, and there are plenty of other expressions like that tailor-made for illustrations, it was only fitting to re-name him "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose." 

Since producing four comic-strip anthologies, along with the popular weekly pictionary-style "mongoose mondays" social network games (playable on both facebook and instagram), this furry performer-of-puns has quickly become my favorite original character to write and illustrate. This is due to his flexible persona, as I can put him in any situation and in any outfit. He doesn't always have to wear his sleveless t-shirt and denim shorts, but you'll always see him in a pair of shades. This had helped me expand the character in "mongoose mondays," where you can not only name a 'figure-of-speech" illustration, but also drawings of pop songs, movies, and tv shows. The winner of each game gets a sketch of their choice drawn by me, and gets to choose next week's category.

So if you're a fan of the classic comic strip style of animal characters, puns, pop song, tv, or movie trivia, "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" is "right up your alley." ------I may or may not use that one as an illustration.

Pasadena Comic and Toy Show:

It was quite the busy weekend for me. After attending a friend's birthday party bar-hopping in Santa Monica saturday night (and early sunday morning), I spent sunday afternoon at the Pasadena Comic and Toy Show. It was the first time I attended the show, which was a small but vibrant local show located at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium's exhibit hall. It was only $5 to enter, but my main reason for going was to support and talk shop with the many artist and entertainment friends I've met since becoming an artist alley vendor back in 2010. Some had told me they would be their in some capacity, while others truly surprised me by their appearance.

As I walked in the door, the first person I ran into was Marcelo Lewin, who runs the site: indiecomicstracker.com. I heard about his site last year while exhibiting at Wondercon Anaheim last year, and had my comics published on his online store. We exchanged emails back and forth so much, that it was nice to meet in person for a change. He also did a short interview on me at Central Coast Comic Con in Ventura last year. He was on his way out when I arrived, so we just said a few words to each other before parting ways. Next were fellow comic professionals from C.A.P.S. (Comic Arts Professional Society), an organization that meets on the 2nd thursday of every month at the Animation Guild in Burbank. Members Aiden Casserly, Sergio Aragones, Yehudi Mercado, Lonnie Millsap, and Scott Shaw were all there as exhibitors, and they told me about some of the upcoming topics for this thursday's meeting. Rounding the back of the hall I see the great Joe Williamson, promoter extraordinare, and one of the organizers of the San Fernando Valley Comic Convention that I exhibit at alot. He's also a great friend of mine who has set me up on countless podcast interviews and radio shows to promote my work. We spoke a bit about the progress of a freelance comic project I'm producing for a friend of his. Also present were friends of his that I heard of, but didn't officially meet until this show: Actor/Director/Podcast Host Thomas Churchill, and Actor/Singer/Video Blogger Priscilla Soltero. I was formally introduced to both of them through Joe, and we exchanged business cards while talking a little bit about what we did in entertainment. The very last person I ran into was my good buddy and former co-worker, Mark Rivers and his girlfriend Kamiel Harrison at their table. I spent my last hour at the show chatting with them about old times at work, comic projects, and so forth. I had no idea he would be there, and just happened to run into Kammy on the show floor as I was on my way out. I picked up a few items from Sergio's and Mark's table before I did so.

So, as I headed out of the convention to get a brick-oven baked pizza from Blaze before I headed back to North Hollywood via Metro Rail, I felt glad that I attended this show, as it was an extended meeting of creative, artistic minds for me. And while I didn't have the money to exhibit there, it was great to go and simply support and talk to my friends. Don't worry guys, I'll be back on the other side of the table very soon!

 

How a Multi-Transit Neighborhood changed my life

It seems insignificant until it affects you directly, but living in an area where you have more than just one way to get around alters your entire view of how you live your life from day to day. Within the last few months, I've been living in North Hollywood, California, an area reshaped by "transit oriented development." Walkable areas with front-facing shops, wide sidewalks, all connecting to a subway and bus rapid transit system make for an area you'd like to explore, rather than an area you escape from for work and rarely ever see.

Since living in this area, I only use my car two or three times a week. And why should I? Major grocery stores, dining places, comic shops, and bars are withing walking distance. Granted, parking is limited to side streets, but that's just another reason to try out one of the other more attractive forms of transportation. Most importantly, any trips I take into other parts of Los Angeles are usually by rail or bus rapid transit. Every time there's an event I'm invited to, the first thing that comes to mind is if it's near a rail station, as both traffic and parking have gotten worse recently in many L.A. communities-----this way of thinking is very essential when going to parties or dining places where alcohol is involved. It's a great feeling going to an event in Hollywood or Downtown knowing that you don't have to deal with finding and paying for parking, and it's alot easier for me to find addresses on foot than driving. Of course, metro rail does not go everywhere yet, like Santa Monica for instance, but that's where another transportation mode comes in to play: ride-sharing. This weekend for instance, I plan to attend a bar-hopping event in Santa Monica, which won't have a light rail line until next year. To avoid driving, I can take the subway and a light rail to Culver City, then take a Lyft car to the bar and the same way back.  Using these other modes helps to lessen the wear-and-tear on my car, so I can use it for just large grocery trips, comic convention appearances, etc. I even get to know not only my neighborhood by cutting down on driving, but other multi-transit cities as well such as Pasadena. Simply put, my love affair with my car and driving wore off in the last year, and I've recently realized how using other transportation modes helps to curb my stress on the roads, and has me not only looking at my surroundings differently, but influencing how I live my life.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Hello everyone. This week's blog is dedicated to, and all about my father, Allen Carter Sr, who died July 16, 2014, at the age of 77. This past saturday would have been his 78th birthday, and I'd like to use this week's column to talk about all of the good times I had with him.

The first thing that always pops into my head when I think of my father is riding in the car. As a kid, we used to go just about everywhere on the island of O'ahu, whether to run errands or just to joyride. I think that's where I get my great sense of direction and love of exploring new areas. I can remember it now: My father and I (sometimes my sister and mother if we were shopping or going out to eat) in one of the many cars he had (red pinto, oldsmobile omega that would overheat alot, ford taurus station wagon). If we were out during the weekends, he'd have on the local talk radio station. I can still hear the station jingle in my head. On some saturdays, he would take my sister and I to the orthodontist at the pan am building downtown. We'd go into the waiting room with the gentle door chimes that would sound when you opened it, and after getting our teeth checked out he'd take us to kapiolani park just outside waikiki. I'd play on the outdoor exercise equipment, while my sister would play on a large rope hanging from a banyan tree. Being in Hawaii of course, we also went to the beach nearly every weekend. My dad indirectly taught me how to swim at Poka'i Bay, a beach closer to where we lived on the west side of O'ahu. After I emerged from the shallow end one day, I watched him paddling with his arms and legs out to sea and back to shore with the white foam board he had. During one of those beach days, he told me that he thought a hammerhead shark was behind him, so that's why he started swimming faster that time. I'm not sure if that was true or not, though that may explain why we would always leave the beach no later than 5:00 p.m., as that was when small fish would come close to shore. My father felt that those fish would attract sharks, so we left the water before those little guppies showed up. Then there were the trips around the island. Being on an island as a kid, going around the island (even if it was only halfway) was the hawaii equivalent of driving to another state. We'd leave from Waianae where we lived on the west side, through the towns of Waipahu then north through Mililani, Wahiawa, and Haleiwa in central o'ahu and the north shore, and finally east into the cool, rainy, green mountains of the windward side. Along the way my father and I would stop for food or to sightsee. Every time we took this trip I couldn't wait to reach the windward side, as it was the complete opposite of the dry beach towns we lived in on the other side of the island. It also included my favorite scenic spot on the island, Nu'uanu Pali Lookout. My father used to take my sister and I up there alot when we were kids. It was known for being extremely windy almost all the time, and it was said that you could jump off the cliff near the viewpoint railing and the wind would pick you back up. I would advise against trying it.

There are so many other stories of my father that come to mind, but what I mentioned are the ones that mean the most to me. The last time I got to visit him back in Hawaii was in 2012, and it was a weird feeling having the roles reversed. This time, I was doing the driving, and the first place we went after breakfast was straight to pali lookout. Then I drove him around the island, just as he did for me when I was a kid. I don't remember much of what we did when we got to our destinations, but I do remember the journey. It all came full-circle for us. So thank you dad. Thank you for all those great times you gave me. Thank you for showing me the world one car ride at a time. Thank you for your easygoing, warm personality. Thank you for your high-pitched chuckle (which I do from time to time myself). But most of all, thank you for being my dad.

Happy birthday.

 

A Decade In Los Angeles

It's hard for me to believe, but this coming June (June 15th to be exact) will be my tenth year living in Southern California. While it doesn't exactly feel like yesterday since I stepped off the plane back in 2005 from Honolulu, It's definitely made me reflect on my first ten years in L.A., along with my first twenty-five years born and raised on the island of O'ahu. 

As the only member of my family born in Hawaii, I never looked at the islands as anything more than my home until I got older. Television, movies, and visiting relatives made me aware of how the Hawaiian Islands is a beloved vacation destination for many people in the rest of the United States and around the world. Living in an area where our main highway met the sea, the local beach was a common weekend activity, though I enjoyed traveling to O'ahu's windward side the most, and seeing the cool, green mountains with waterfalls in between them. Mainstream entertainment was limited because of our remote location to the "mainland," we would get alot of movies and video games long after the rest of the country. When I moved to Los Angeles shortly after my twenty-fifth birthday, it was a year long culture shock. Many asked (and still do) why I would move from Hawaii to California in the first place, and as much as I tell people who ask this how expensive the cost of living, utility bills, and limited employment options there are, some still can't get past what they've been told through travel ads and "Hawaii Five-O. Resorts, beaches, sunshine, and hula girls are a very small part of the fiftieth state. Currently, the rest of the island resembles "los angeles on a volcanic rock." After getting used to the time difference between the two cities (2 hours in the fall and winter, 3 hours in the spring and summer), and the faster-paced lifestyle compared to Honolulu, I began to revel in the larger opportunities Los Angeles has to offer.  Exploring new areas and neighboring states without a plane, using the public rail system, and most importantly, making new friends and entertainment connections. It's amazing to look back at all the people I've met and have become great friends with through either my sister or through myself at the jobs I've had here. As much as I enjoyed my time in Hawaii, there are so many things I experienced in Los Angeles that I never could have experienced in the islands: working in post-production design, the video gaming industry (where I met the bulk of my friends and roommates), and the IT industry (which helped me learn about becoming a comic convention vendor, thanks to another artistic co-worker). Making trips to other areas in California such as San Diego and San Francisco, as well as neighboring states Nevada and Arizona.

So (raises imaginary glass) here's to ten years in Los Angeles, and perhaps ten more here. That will all depend of course, on what happens in my life during those next ten years. Who knows what the future holds and where it may take me, but for now, I'm enjoying my time as an "angeleno."

My 2015 Comic Convention Circuit - Exhibitor Style!

Shaky finances be damned! I'm still doing an exhibitor comic convention tour this year-----albeit a much smaller one. Despite my low funds, I've gained so much more momentum and experience doing podcast, video, and radio show interviews promoting my comics and convention appearances last year, that I'd really like to keep that momentum going as much as I can. Even if I can only do half of the shows I did last year, it's better than nothing. So, I'd like to use this week's blog to talk about the conventions that I'm planning to do (along with some that I'd like to do), and a little bit about them----note: There's one show on the list that I've never done, so I'll have very little to talk about there.

Tulare Sci-Fi Con: March 7-8 (saturday and sunday). This is the new show I heard about while attending last year's Long Beach Comic Con. It takes place in Tulare, California, which is quite a drive outside Los Angeles. While it's a two hour drive from North Hollywood, the tables are free. So, yeah. Can't really turn that down. It's also a smaller show with a loyal customer base around it----or at least that's what I'm hoping for. No matter how I do there, the only risk is gas money.

San Fernando Valley Comic Con: March 29, 2015: I've done this show several times before starting last March, and it's a small but nice, laid back, fun show. It takes place in a multipurpose activity hall in Granada Hills, on the corner of Balboa blvd. and San Fernando Mission rd. What's great about this show is while the crowds aren't as big, the people who come in really want to be there, and appreciate the talent of all of the vendors, and a smaller show with an enthusiastic crowd is better than a larger show with a crowd that could care less about anything they see ( I'm looking at you Wizard World, when you were back in Los Angeles and Anaheim). One of the biggest reasons I do this show is one of the shows organizers, Joe Williamson, has become a good friend of mine, and has helped me a great deal promoting my work through podcast interviews and radio shows. It's always great to see him, even if we're both busy during the show and only have time to speak before and after the event.

Wondercon: April 3-5, 2015. I saved the best for last. Ever since it moved from San Francisco to Anaheim back in 2012, this "younger sibling of San Diego Comic Con International," has quickly become the convention to attend if you want to avoid San Diego's insane crowds, and----let's be honest here----because Comic Con sells out months in advance. Wondercon has been my most consistently successful show in the three years I've exhibited at the show. They know how to balance entertainment panels, large comic company booths, and independent creators (me), in a way that everyone gets some level of foot traffic and sales. There's always room for improvement, such as placing their Artist Alley and Small Press Areas closer to the front of the exhibit hall, but for a three-day easter weekend extravaganza, it always manages to impress me every year.

So, those are the shows I'm set to do so far. There are some others that I'd like to do again if I had more money, such as the newly expanded "Long Beach Comic Expo," "Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con," "Alternative Press Expo" in San Francisco, and "Long Beach Comic Con," (which occurs in the fall). Some shows that I'd like to try for the first time are: "Phoenix Comic Con," "Big Wow Comic Fest," and "Emerald City Comic Con." I just need to take these all in one day at a time. I may be only able to do three shows this year, but who knows what next year will bring, financially and professionally. All I can say is: Stay tuned.

I'm on the radio! All about my podcast interview experiences

Last week, I spoke about my experiences on the "comic convention circuit." Well, a big part of promoting and selling at those conventions involved advertising my appearances at those shows to let people know where I was going to be, and where to pick up my books. One of the few bright spots of 2014 for me was----thanks to my amazing new friend and promoter, Joe Williamson---being able to sell myself and my work by appearing on radio shows and online podcasts, whether in-studio or over the phone. My first podcast, "The Spotlight: Hollywood Edition," was a great introductory experience to self-promotion, as well as the podcast hosts promoting me as well. One of the first things I learned about doing these shows is just how short an hour can feel like, especially when you're discussing something that you have such a passion for. There were two in-studio shows I did over the summer that were just an hour long, and after talking about just one of my books, the shows were almost over. I guess the old saying rings true: "Time flies when you're having fun."

It's also amazing to look back at all the different shows I appeared on (my voice, anyway), that each had a different style to it. Some were very formal and focused just on what I asked them to in terms of getting to know me and my artwork, while others were more free-flowing and felt like a natural conversation. That brings me to my most recent radio show appearance, my first of 2015: The Guy Talk Radio Show, which I did earlier today---a special thanks to the hosts Joey, Sandy, and Bill for inviting me on, and to Joe Williamson for booking my appearance. They had such a relaxed atmosphere where the hosts and the guests actually drink beer during the show. It was also less of a question/answer show, and more of just talking about various topics. I personally like both interviewing formats, but it's nice to switch them up once in a while. I feel that it's very important to keep things as fresh as possible, especially when it involves something you love to do, because even something you love to do can feel repetitive and often tiresome if you don't shake things up and approach it differently once in awhile. What I'm getting at in terms of interviews is that you can sometimes feel like your either answering, or being asked the same questions over and over again, and you have to come up with new ways of answering those questions the more shows you appear on. Most importantly, you also want to add a personal touch to what your promoting, so the audience understands where your passion and your ideas came from, and what it really means to you. The more the audience gets to know you as a person, the more willing they will be to view and even purchase your work.

So that's what I wanted to share with you all, as the new year opens. I may have some other shows lined up, either through my friend Joe or from fellow artist alley exhibitors I met at comic conventions. Whatever happens though, you'll definitely hear about it on this blog first, so stay tuned! Until next week, when I decide to write about something else. 

What's it like being an "Artist Alley Vendor?"

Yup, it's back to talking about comic-related topics this week. Since I'm still struggling to land full-time work at the moment, my vendor appearances at comic conventions has become my primary focus. While selling items as a vendor involves alot of financial investment and very little profit in the first few years, money is not, and SHOULD not, be the reason to do this. Being an independent vendor is about finding your audience first, which starts with putting both yourself and your artwork out there for people to see. The more shows you can do, the more people you meet. That equals more potential fans, and eventually, some sales of your work. With all that being said, let me talk about my five-year experience as an Artist Alley vendor so far.

The number of Comic Conventions in the past few years has exploded, both nationwide and worldwide. Particularly in the United States, San Diego's monster summer show, San Diego Comic Con International, has become THE comic-related event to attend (I say "comic-related," of course, because anyone who has recently attended this show already knows that actual comic books are a very small part of the show now, and have been for awhile). The constant focus on the San Diego show, and the difficulty in being a part of the show as either an attendee or a vendor, has greatly helped other slightly smaller conventions and even smaller local shows----which are the shows I started with in promoting and selling my work. I think of comic convention artist alleys as both a secret society and a support group of sorts. Everyone in the "alleys" is there to be seen just like me, but we're not really competing with each other, because we all have different types of work. Comic books, prints, buttons, T-shirts, hats, keychains, all types of crafts, and alot more are located in the best artist alleys of a comic book convention. Making friends at these shows is a necessity, as foot traffic has a constant ebb and flow, and striking up a conversation with your "alley neighbor" can definitely keep your energy up as well as theirs. Not only that, but artist alleys become extended families over the years. I still can't believe how many people I've met and become good friends with just from doing these conventions, and especially when I find out that two people I met at two completely different shows know each other. Then you can share those oh-so-wacky convention stories, most of which include the best cosplayer or craziest customer you've dealt with, as well as share information about new conventions (and believe me, most of the shows that I've done I heard about through word of mouth at artist alleys). It's both great and frustrating that I have so many great friends who do this as well, but I have so little time to speak with them before a show starts.

Then there are the customers. In my five years as an artist alley regular, I was very surprised to see that a vast majority of convention attendees had never been to a comic con in their lives, but wanted to see what the hype was all about. Most of those "newbies" have become about 90 percent of my customer base, as from my experience, most first-time comic-con attendees are much more adventurous, and are willing to purchase arts, crafts, or literature that they've never seen before. Most veteran attendees, on the other hand, know where they want to go and what they want to see, and they tend not to look at anything outside of that focus. Alot of the customers that have come up to my table to view my work were always courteous with their curiosity toward my books and characters. Only a very small percentage of customers have made rude comments about my work----usually thinking that I've ripped off an existing comic idea with one of my books. It initially hurts, but that's just one person's opinion, so I forget it and move on to the next customer. It's really great to run into some of the same attendees at different shows, and they see how dedicated I am at selling myself. I even have a fan that has collected my "Cosmic Force" series. He's currently waiting for the sixth issue, which should hopefully be done by the summer.

So, that's my continuing adventures through comic con land. While these shows can physically drain you (3 day conventions especially), the experience is never boring, as no two conventions are alike. Each show is a new adventure, and I always gain something from that adventure, whether it be convention advice from a neighbor, impromptu press interviews or photos, or my favorite "s-word:" sales. Speaking of sales, I am happy to say that while not all of the shows that I've been to have been financial successes, I have never done a show yet where I didn't sell anything ( I haven't sold less than two books at any show). Even the customers who come by to look and don't buy anything from me, I appreciate them just as much as the ones who do buy. With all of the choices a customer has at a show full of established comics, video games, celebrity panels, cosplayers, and other independent artwork, someone choosing to come up to my table to see what I have to offer and thumb through my sample books is really all the validation I need that I'm right where I need to be, and the reason why I'm an independent comic book artist.

 

Next week I have my first podcast interview of 2015 coming up, so I'd like to talk about my experience promoting my books on radio shows for my next blog. Until then!

What Christmas Means to Me

As some of you may know, 2014 has been a very difficult year for me both professionally, and especially personally. Despite these hardships, I've been looking forward to winter and christmas more than I ever have. This longing for the holiday season has made me really think about what I truly love about Christmas, especially when it can feel like everything is collapsing around me. 

Family traditions, more valuable than any gift, are what make christmas for me. Traditions such as watching old holiday specials I've seen since I was a kid, listening to old christmas music, and especially viewing christmas lights and decorations. I can remember the very first christmas I spent in Los Angeles after moving from Hawaii almost 10 years ago. No decorations. No music. No holiday specials. Just a small plastic tree I picked up from a drugstore where myself, my sister, and her boyfriend opened presents for about 5 minutes. While we were all making good money at the time, I wasn't able to take off work to see my parents back in Hawaii. Now, I have almost my entire immediate family here with me to enjoy all the traditions we created in the islands. Sure, you can put a price tag on an XBOX One or an Ipad, but not on watching a christmas boat parade on Balboa Island, Montrose main street lights, L.A. Live's spectacular christmas light display and ice-skating rink (if you don't skate), and even more holiday events that I have yet to hear about.  Now, we just have to start watching our holiday specials before the big day this thursday.

So what does christmas mean to me? Family. plain and simple. None of those activities I explained earlier would be any fun without my family to share it with, and who understand how sacred these traditions are. I hope that the rest of you enjoy those special traditions you have with your family this week, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Top Five Favorite Christmas Specials:

Along with christmas music and lights, those classic holiday specials are my favorite parts about this time of year. This list will be a bit more obscure than my favorite songs list from last week, but if you haven't seen these specials below, give them a try, as some are forgotten classics while others are no longer airing around December. So, here we go:

 

5. A Garfield Christmas - This was one of many holiday specials my family had on one of our first betamax tapes (we wised up and got a vhs later). My sister and I were huge fans of both the Garfield books, animated specials, and the "Garfield and Friends" saturday morning cartoon, so watching this one was a no-brainer. Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, takes him and Odie to his parent's farm for the holidays. You get alot of great comedy not just with Garfield, but with Jon's family (particularly his father and his grandma).

Favorite part of this special: When they turn the chrismas tree lights on, and the whole family "ooohs" (all their mouths resemble volcanoes when they do this, which still crack me and my sister up). This is rarely shown on TV anymore, but that's what Amazon is for.

4. Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - Since there have been so many versions of this Charles Dickens classic, it will all depend on what tv special version you enjoyed. For my family, this was our version. Never having been a big Mr. Magoo fan, I was surprised at how much I liked him here. There's happy moments with Magoo Scrooge's present, heartbreaking moments in his past, and actually some great comedy in his future. All these moments are amplified by the great songs featured in this seldom-showed holiday program.

Favorite part of this special: The song and dance performed by three crooks who have stolen a deceased Ebenezer Scrooge's possessions and traded them in for money (yes, that description makes it sound horrible, but trust me and watch it. It's really funny).

3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rankin/Bass) - It's hard to believe that 50 years have passed since this stop-motion animation classic debuted. It truly wouldn't be christmas if this special didn't air. You all know the story: Rudolph is ostracized for his glowing red nose, until a storm strikes on christmas eve, and everyone suddenly changes their tune and they ask him to lead Santa's sleigh. Looking through an adult's eyes now, I see alot of cruelty and hypocrisy in the story of Rudolph (and Santa here comes off pretty mean at points), but these specials aren't for adult eyes, they're for kids and the kids in all of us. Not to be forgotten are the memorable songs like "We're a Couple of Misfits, and lines such as "Why weren't you at elf practice?"

Favorite part of this special: More of just a line than a segment, but when Santa tells his wife: "How can I eat? That silly elf song is driving me crazy!"

2. Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July (Rankin/Bass) - This is the sequel to "Rudolph," and it included Frosty the snowman and his family, who all performed at a seashore circus during 4th of July weekend.  It runs about two hours long and has quite a convoluted plot involving an evil ice wizard King Winterbolt trying to extinguish Rudolph's nose forever, along with subplot of saving the circus by the sea from being sold to a crooked salesman, and Santa and Mrs. Claus being stuck in a summer snowstorm.  While most people who have heard of this special don't care for it due to this, I've always enjoyed it due to the explanations the special made for how Rudolph got his nose in the first place (a magical queen of the northern lights), and the "foggy christmas eve" winter storm described in the song (a result of Winterbolt's snow dragons). I always liked little details explained like that, even as a kid.

Favorite part of this special: This is a pretty dark scene for a kid's movie, but when the circus owner destroys King Winterbolt's scepter and he turns into a tree. Yup, a tree. Weird and creepy at the same time.

1. A Muppet Family Christmas - Don't get this confused with other muppet holiday specials, this one originally aired in 1987 and features muppets from all three major programs at the time: "The Muppet Show," "Sesame Street," and "Fraggle Rock." It's a simple but fun story that involves Fozzie bringing Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the whole muppet gang to his mother's farmhouse, which is being rented by Doc and his dog "Sprocket" (from Fraggle Rock). What better set-up do you need for all-around fun? The interactions between the different muppet characters alone are priceless, as are the christmas carols they sing, and the cameo by the late Jim henson at the very end. This one is only available through bootleg, and no cable networks, amazon, or netflix carry it for some reason, so good luck searching for it. If you do find it, hang on to this baby, it's more than worth it watching this hidden gem every christmas!

Favorite part of this special: There's a running gag involving an icy patch everyone slips and falls on when they enter the farmhouse, but my favorite character who slips on it is The Swedish Chef, as his cooking supplies fall on him as well.

 

And that's my favorite holiday specials list. You should definitely check out these programs, they'll make your christmas just that much more magical.

 

 

 

My top ten songs that I can't live without:

Time for me to switch gears once again, and talk about something else that plays a big part in all of our lives, including mine: music. I've recently become addicted to Billboard Music's chart listings that are now available on youtube, that cover such lists as every number 1 song from a calendar year, the top 100 songs of a calendar year, and even the top 10 songs from a particular week----all from the '80s and early '90s of course, as these were the decades I grew up in and developed my musical tastes. So I think it's only fitting that I do a top ten list of my own of songs that are timeless and enjoyable to me, and would almost always be worthy of being played more than once. Much like your personal to 10 song lists, it's difficult to choose, so I especially had to think about if any of the following ten songs were played anywhere in public, would they stop me in my tracks until they were over? 

 

Well, these ten most certainly would:

 

10.  Father Figure - George Michael: I've just recently realized how much I enjoy George Michael's vocals. Behind Michael McDonald, he's the most soulful white guy I've ever heard, and this tune is just another example of that. The moody vibe of the song and video always pop into my head whenever I hear it, and It's also the perfect tune for a night drive. P.M. Dawn made a great use of this song when they sampled it for their hit, "Looking Through Patient Eyes."

9.  Everything She Wants - Wham!: Well, I couldn't have a favorite George Michael song without having a favorite Wham! song. I always felt that this tune tends to get overshadowed by the other two hits "Careless Whisper," and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." It's a very well-written song bathed in an infectious heavy synth-bass and electronic drum beat. It's impossible not to at least bob your head to it whenever it's played. I personally like the "somebody tell me" part the most.

8.  Car Wash - Rose Royce:  This song has, hands down, the best intro ever. Yes, the rest of this song is fantastically funky, but I absolutely love that slow build of an intro. No classic radio station should ever edit it, and if they do, they're doing this song a horrible injustice. Just listening to it start off with the hand claps first, then the bass, then the signature disco beat and funk guitar, all before the actual song kicks off always draws me in. Thank goodness for oldies radio stations growing up, since this song was released before my time.

7. Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson: One addictive-as-hell piano melody. That's all this tune needs. This is one of those songs that no matter how long it's been since I last heard it, that melody gets happily stuck in my head for the rest of the week as soon as I hear it again. And hey, the bassline isn't too shabby either. Like "father figure," this is another great night driving tune (thanks to the video of course).

6. Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough and Peoples:  As far as favorite synth basslines go (and believe me, I have alot of them), this has to be my favorite. It's very fitting that this was played in alot of indoor roller skating rinks when it was released back in 1980 (my birth year), as the bassline in this song basically takes you around in a circle with a sort of "galloping groove" to it. The vocals fit very well with the song, along with the sped up vocals done by the puppets in the music video. Like "Steppin Out's" piano melody, I am more than happy to get this bassline stuck in my head.

5. What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers: Another very well-written song, once your'e able to decipher Michael McDonald's vocals (no easy task). I loved the "peppy" beat and melody of this tune, and especially the falsetto chorus (I'm a HUGE fan of falsetto vocals). Then when I learned the lyrics, I was shocked to find out how depressing of a song this was. It's basically about a guy who has one night with a woman, and believes it's the start of a long-term relationship, but to the woman, it's just a fling, so the man makes a "fool" of himself with the woman. How can such an upbeat-sounding tune be about such a sad would-be romance? Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, that's how. Great songwriting guys!

 

4. Don't Disturb This Groove - The System:  Mic Murphy and David Frank of this group created the epitome of "smooth" here. This is one of only two songs that hooked me by the first chorus (the other one is also on this list of course). Just about everything works with this song: Keyboard melody, heavy beat, and super-smooth vocals by Mic Murphy. It's a crying shame this tune has been relegated to the "hidden gem" category of '80s R&B music. I may have heard it only once on a classic radio station since it was originally released back in 1987.

3. I'm Still Standing - Elton John:  While "What a Fool Believes" has a great peppy beat, this song is just all-around "bouncy." I really like the "beach boys" feel of this tune, not just because of the video being shot on a beach in France, but the harmonic backing vocals in the chorus. A great feel-good song that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it, and there will be more of those songs to come on this list.

2. Something About You - Level 42:  I've met and have become friends with alot of people who are huge fans of this band as I am, and they would be a little surprised that I didn't put this jazz/funk/pop quartet's breakthrough US single at number 1. Well, when you see the number one song, you'll understand. Nonetheless, this is a song that I have not only played repeatedly in a single day, but it's one that I always come back to. The harmony you hear after the synth riff that kicks off the song is so smooth and soulful, then you get to the first chorus with keyboardist Mike Lindup's haunting falsetto that just stamps this song as a surefire hit. You even get a very nice guitar solo by band member Boon Gould near the end. The video is also delightfully moody and weird, with lead vocalist and bass player Mark King dressing up as a "dark magician" type character, wishing ill will on his bandmates relationships with a woman he can't get. To paraphrase part of the chorus: There's just something about this song, that makes it sound so right.

1. Sweet Freedom - Michael McDonald:  Talk about a song that can make you feel like summer even in the middle of a winter rain or snow storm. Everything about it changes your mood: The shuffling club beat, simple melody, Mr. McDonald's vocals, and especially the video. This song was released off the soundtrack to the buddy cop film "Running Scared," starring Billy Crystal and the late Gregory Hines, and they appear in parts of the video with McDonald and just have a great time being silly and having fun. And that's why this song is number one on my list. Any song can be lyrically or musically great, but a great song should be, well, fun. And that's exactly what this song is.

 

So, that's my top ten favorite song list.  There were alot of songs that I had a hard time choosing between to make this cut ( "The Groove Line" by Heatwave and "Easy Lover" by Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins come to mind), but I had to go with songs I grew up with and had some kind of emotional attachment to.  Alot of these songs transport me to a particular time or activity in my life when I first heard the song, like a musical time machine. In fact, I'm gonna go listen to some of these songs again and go "back in time" (an okay Huey Lewis song). See you next week!