New Comic Friday: Galactic Gun

It's new comic day over at

Neverland Transit Authroity

and, finally, we begin the conclusion of

Pocket Full of Posies!

Stuff: New Comic Thursday!

IronChuck explores kitchen upkeep

in today's edition of Stuff at

Neverland Transit Authority.

Makes me think of the great

George Carlin:

Warning: F-Bomb dropped.

Doodle folk and EVA Workin'...

I'm sure with everything being as oddly quiet over at Neverland Transit Authority you'd have no trouble believing me I've been swamped.

Right?

Okay, okay, look, I'll prove it. So, here's a few work ups I've been doing for random characters, such as our established heroes, in something just a little more realistic... well, better representational, at any rate.



Seriously; when have we ever seen a good guffaw from our buddy, huh?

With the next story nearly half inked, I've already begun to turn my attentions to bringing up the art a little more; time allowing, of course. I'm not sure, though, about it. I mean, these little cartoon versions can get really expressive, and are much more capable of being identified with, I think. Eh, I'm still playing around with it.

In the meantime, I've been doing a series of sketches of Justin Bailey to have around as fun art; throwing stuff out there to fill gaps in page updates, or for merchandise, posters, whatever. One of my first warm ups takes Justin out on the Hull of The No. 7 for some space walking.


 
The idea for the spread of pictures is to be everything ranging from candid moments to outrageous follies. Something I picked up from my time reading stuff from Masumane Shirow, like Appleseed. (Check out some of his work, here.)

Not only does it give me marketable eye candy, but it can also help to build a base of relationship between reader and characters. You're more oft to relate to folks when you see them in quiet time and at play; things that normally happen to the crew off panel.

Anyway, just a little something to keep you entertained, in the loop, and up to date. The next train leaves the station September 30th as we begin to wrap up Pocket Full of Posies.

Samhain is Facebook down the Drain...

(This is a cross post that is currently now appearing on my Facebook page. Shared, here, for posterity, preservation, and maybe to help influence folks who may visit here, but don't, on their own, blog.)

Right off the bat, I'm not sure who will read this, or even how they'll see this; Facebook is such a wreck. But, I wanted to put a couple interesting thoughts out there about what I noticed in my behavior when it came time to make this decision.

As previously noted, yesterday, I'm killing both my Facebook, and the Neverland Transit Authority Facebook station on November 1st.

This place has gotten too whacked out; the lay outs are now practically unfollowable and privacy issues are too rampant. Some people say that we shouldn't complain about a free service. But, as regarded in a recent viral post around here; when everything is free, then you're the product.

In looking back on my decision, I noted, immediately, that it was a bit of a struggle to cut this cord. Right off the bat I had to come to the realization that I'm about to, as a very social person, cut a very large social tie. I'm going to lose out on more than a few gatherings, events, and possibly important announcements. Despite the urge to leave, and a near revulsion of what's becoming of this place, I was having real trouble letting go. How could I live without what this site was bringing to my life?!

Then, I thought back to the hey day of My Space; a place I used to rock, hard. And I remember, when it became too much for my personal life to bear, I closed it down. Just canceled it straight out. And you know what? I ended up being pretty okay.

Yeah, it was tough, but I not only managed pretty well, I actually continued to have random adventures and good times despite no longer being tapped into this social media thing. In fact, the only reason I got on Facebook was because my all too absent best friend really pleaded and insisted. I hardly ever see her here, let alone in real life.

But, looking back at the year and a half here, I'm seeing some scary trends. I'm also seeing a world that has stopped moving under its own power. And that, seriously, is even scarier, to me. But, I guess, I wasn’t strong enough to initiate myself into what I knew I wanted... maybe needed... to do. No, I was lucky; Facebook created that impetus for me.

Now, it's not like I'm tearing free of the net, or anything silly like that. Back in 2004, to handle over spill from a mailing list, I created a blog on Blogger called "IronChuck Presents"; based off of the funny trend of finding the silly, screwy, and sometimes poignant things that float in the intangible either that is the World Wide Web. In fact, I run two, now, as NTA Comics is moving to one; still headed by the infamous ntacomics url... if I can figure out how to get the bloody thing to work right.

Blogger is free. It doesn't ask for any private information. It has no agenda to collect and distribute any, either. It's controlled by you. All of it. Post what you like, as you like. You can go to other blogs, subscribe, and follow what others have to say and show. And you've been able to since long before My Space, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ (Yes, I know; affiliated), or, I believe, even Friendster.

Is this a campaign? I'm certainly not trying to make it one. But, it would be nice to see what people would like to share, in their own terms, their own way. It would be nice to connect without Big Brother Mark watching, waiting, and taking. It would be wonderful to halt, and maybe reverse this trend toward the mediocre, the simple, and benign. After all, what a thrill it would be if the power of the net, our lives, and our dreams were back in our hands; to express, communicate, inform, entertain, and enlighten each other with. Like it was supposed to be.

In old Celtic tradition, Samhain (Pronounced Sow- ien; meaning, near literally, "November") is the beginning of the New Year; a time to return to the womb of Winter and prepare for the rebirth of Spring. (Okay, well, maybe there's just a little fluffy nutter Pagan in that.) I'm making a series of big life affirming steps that day.

Maybe, just maybe, you'd like to join me in one?

Blog with me...

Memes... HOOOOOOOO!

Songs to wear pants to...

Warning: Do not watch on an empty stomach!

Beware the wizard! Beware his powers!

Have we finally created the new Looney Tunes classic?
Has the old guard finally fallen?

Important tips for living...

And... we're out...

(Probably Not Safe for Work.)

I'm pretty sure this is a video about the sexualization of the music industry.

You see the trombone player's range of motion is both literally and figuratively limited by the large fake breasts of the faceless woman. The facelessness represents the fact that no one really cares who the sex person is, just that they are sexy. Meanwhile the artist is suffering because he's limited and forced to degrade his artistic integrity for faceless sexuality...

Or it's some sort of trombone/balloon/Lamborghini fetish video.

Anne Hathaway... the new Julie Nemar?

Meow, baby...

And here it is, as being reported by Comic Alliance; Anne Hathaway in a very throw back styled Catwoman suit for the up-coming Batman movie. As with the previous movies, this "first look" is, as always, just another reason I have been skipping these Nolan movies. Especially when the comics, and the games, have been using a much more visibly stunning, and plausible, outfit for some time now:


artwork by Brandon Peterson

I know that more than a few of my friends who read this think I'm nuts for not liking the new Batman movies. In retort to their defense of these films I offer the reasoning that, when eating shite for so long (Batman Returns through the Schumacher disasters), cardboard will taste exquisite.

Honestly? Much like the new take on old favorite Doctor Who has begun to alienate me, so has this. From the reworking of the death of the Waynes, to Bruce's history, to the contorted way the villian's mythos gets butchered, just about every scene, spoiler, and line of dialog continues to push me further and further from the character; most beloved of my comic heroes, and my gateway into the incredible world of comic books.

I'm not saying you're wrong to like this. I'm just saying I don't. And I'll continue to stick by my assertion that Batman the Animated Series has been the best interpretation of Batman - off the comic book page - ever.

Guest art month ends, and an inside look, over at NTA Comics

We've been running an guest art month, over at Neverland Transit Authority, as the rebuild on Grand Central continues. It's ending this weekend with art by your Conductor; including a couple of concept sketches and a pin-up of everyone's favorite green skinned gambler...

Femenistic?



"In Catwoman, this is what DC Comics tells me a male hero looks like,
and what a female hero looks like" ~ Laura Hudson



 Laura Hudson addresses the issues of women impowerment

and sexual identity in DC's New 52,

and how things aren't what they seem to be,

in a thought provoking article in Comic Alliance.

Kind of touches on some of the things I was thinking about a little while, ago.

Thank you, Jim.

This weekend marks what would have been Jim Henson's 75th birthday.

I can't think of any better way to celebrate

the life of the man who touched so many than with song... 

You can take a stop by The Henson site to see
tributes by many notable folks,
or read Brian Henson's memories
of his dad.

Then hit the Google homepage for a fun Muppet doodle!

Infographic to drink to!



Behold, the power of beer.



From good buddy, and NTA Comic reader, Joey McDaniel.

(You remember his Kali pin-up...)

It's a...

Today's meme hilarity by Extra Life.

Behold, the Nyan is so bleak...

Go ahead, see if you don't laugh, too...

All dressed up...

Okay, suddenly I have a new appreciation for cosplay.
Thank you, Dragoncon.

Great Scott! Those voices are heavy, Doc!

From the voice of Matt Mulhalland...

Meanwhile, in Portland...

Taking the Bull by the Horns!

The Conductor, indeed all of Neverland Transit Authroity, supports the folks in New York

trying to Occupy Wall Street in the attempt to save us from greed.

Luke, I am the night...

Wait till he finds out about his mother...

Good day, eh? It's a'boot time for My Drunk Kitchen, dontcha know...

Beware the language bombs!

(A little Not Safe for Work.)

Cinema gold...?!

Every now and again a movie title pops up that, somehow, escaped me back in my youthful prime. Something so classic, artistic, and thoughtful, that I often thing; "How did I miss this?"

Evil Toons is NOT one of those movies...

(Probably Not Safe for Work.)

The years have been too kind!

The Conductor of Neverland Transit Authority
would like to extend a big birthday greeting

 to the first lady of animation, June Foray,
and to the cultural icon :-).

Mysteries of the 21st century...



Natalie asks the question of the modern age.



Sense... Is it common?

Toon'd Out and Mashed Up...

From the incomparable DJ Schmolli.

Meanwhile, on the Garden State Parkway...

"Look, Honey; it's that Mr. Jetson, again. Probably late to work, as usual."

Jackin' Off...

Is it too soon to be thinking about Halloween?

Drawing paper...?

Okay, this is... well, awesome. I guess I now have me a new art project...?

Shut the front door!

Ladies and gentlemen, the 100 greatest Shut Ups of movie history.

No, the language is Not Safe for Work.

Hey, Ladies!



"It's okay, luv; it's 'ow we say 'ello."

 I like to pride myself on being an objective and progressive man, and story teller; whose mind is set to the story, and his craft, and is immune to the blatant fanboy market driven cliches that seem to turn the world of comics, games, and entertainment. I like to think the women of my little universes are diverse, unique, and represent a touch or realism - even for a scifi action comedy.

I like to think I'm above all these things.

Of course, I'm also bombarded by things like this all over the office, every day, all week.

Yeah, Lara Croft is hot. She's rich. She's a bad-ass. And don't get me wrong, I'm all for strong leading women; both on and off the screen, page, monitor.

But, I guess, with so much of this all in my face all the time - and catching my inner fanboy slipping out, some - I got myself to thinking about women in fiction and media; how they are portrayed, what we buy as plausible, and how that can affect women who constantly feel they have to measure up against these completely unreal expectations created by mass media and entertainment.

Perhaps I should first come clean. As a younger man, I was raised by the notion that 99.5% of all things sexual, kinky, etc. came from men. Women were loving, emotional creatures who didn't get stimulated, worked up, or whatever; it was the guy that first engaged all these things. Ladies didn't have sexual thoughts on their own. They weren't evil and corrupt, like men. They didn't, generally, fight, weren't usually into guns, or any of the various things that made up the other .5% that was not men. That .5%? Yeah, well...

Yes, okay, okay; I've learned since then. Girls can be as down right dirty as us; mean, sneaky, and all that. Eventually, yes, you all came down off your pedestals and joined the human race. (Take note; that won't stop me from being a polite gentleman, though.)

At any rate, I've been getting to think on all the women who have been in and out of my life -at all levels of relationships, and what made them each special and unique to me. They've come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with different temperaments, desires, perversions (That doesn't mean "bad", though.), and ways of thought. They have been smart, dumb, seductive, physical, and just about everything else in between.

So, inspired by these things, I went back and looked, again, at the cast of women in Galactic Gun: The Adventures of Justin Bailey; seeing if there was a way I could flesh them out, break the general stamp and mold comic book ladies are made from, and spice them up with a little more character. So, I give you the following preview of The Ladies of the Galactic Gun...




The Ladies of The Galactic Gun

  We've already met two of this lovely bunch; Mrs. C and Kali. The rest will be coming through the course of the next few stories. Each will play a pivotal role in their respective arcs. And each will have, at least at some level of interesting back story that will lay a more plausible ground to who they are, and why.




Galactic Gun: The Crusaders

  Of special interest are to particular charatcers who are slated for, hopefully, a 2014 release. Titled Galactic Gun: The Crusaders, it sees a misfit pair of young ladies named Angel and Jinn as a team set out to do noble tasks. Well, sort of...

Originally this was my fanboy title. Two young, attractive, strong women who are constantly conflicted with themselves and each other. Guns and swords entangled as they plodded off to danger and adventure while exploring their feelings toward others, as well as each other.

Yeah, this was going to be my fanboy swan song. That is, until one time gaming musical sensation Rebecca Mayes, a reviewer for The Escapist, did a song for her review of Velvet Assassin.

With its lyrics and how they perfectly molded to each character - not to mention the questioning of the image of women in these genres, I was moved to shelve these two; hoping to maybe revitalize the idea down the road, when I felt there was more to give them but a lesbian bent to help sell books.

But they've never really left the ensemble of characters that make up the Galactic Gun. And, so, fueled by the need to challenge the accepted doctrine of both my misconceptions of women, as well as my industry, I've begun retooling them. I want them to butt up against every cliche we tolerate and expect from them. I want them to reinvent the idea of the action heroine.

Lofty goal? I suppose. I expect, along the way, if I can get this to work, I'm going to piss off all my liberal, conservative, straight, and gay readers... and all in one shot, at some point. But then, if I do, that means we're all thinking. And I'd be doing my job...

Sound reasoning...

I need to find this bar because those are some darn good reasons...

Audible conversation with thy matriarch...

They're boycotting? Oh, GD...

Click to enlarge the heresy.

Yes, believe it or not, this page is working the panties in a bunch of the owner of The Comic Conspiracy, in North Carolina.

Why? "Taking the Lord's name in vein."

No, seriously. He's all upset about about the last panel that he's are calling for a boycott of  this, and any other work by renowned comics author, Grant Morrison:

"As of today’s release of Action Comics #1 by Grant Morrison, The Comic Conspiracy, will until further notice, be boycotting all future Grant Morrison books. If you want Action Comics, you will have to buy it elsewhere."


He then goes on to say, of his facebook page:

"Christian comic book readers and shop owners. Join us in the Grant Morrison Boycott. Action Comics #1 is a slap in the face to Superman, Christians and Superman creators Siegel and Shuster!!"

Personally, I'm gonna call this for what it is; TROLL. Look, I know a publicity stunt when I see one. After all, this is... well, his is nothing; especially compared to any other number of things that have been intorduced into comics - from slams on Tea Baggers to gay characters, bizzare murders, and all kinds of acts of violence. Yet here this guy makes some kind of moral stand because:

"I could see Guy Gardner and maybe even Hal Jordan (Green Lanterns) saying it. I could see Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) saying it. I could easily see Damian Wayne (Robin) or MAYBE even Bruce Wayne saying it. But Superman was created to be the “perfect” super-hero. Unblemished. Superman is an American icon."

"It grieves me to see a liberal Scottish schmuck like Grant Morrison take these liberties. I’m sorry, Superman would NEVER take God’s name in vain. In the words of the late Jim Croce, 'You don’t tug on Superman’s cape.'"

He then ends his rant with:

"I deal with books like 'Crossed' and 'The Boys'. I accepted gay characters being introduced into a children specific book like Archie Comics. I however am getting very tired of having comic writer’s liberal agendas force fed to me. Mr. Morrison has stepped over my line. If I have to stand alone on this… I will."

You have a good time with that, Bucky. The rest of us will be over here, reading our comics, and enjoying a more sane life... TROLL.

Looks like a speed trap to me...

Little monster...

Click me to see why daddy drinks...

Either there's something to say about the terrible two's, here,

or IronChuck has started contemplating Halloween...

Bah bah little meadow sheep...

Almost had him pegged as a Kiwi till the end.

Meanwhile, in Golden Gate Park, a family has a close encounter

with some bears.

Who's Hungry?

I could sure go for a sandwhich...

On second thought, nevermind;

I'm not really that hungry.

Born on the wheel of Nerd...

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Geek Zodiac...
(Click to enlarge.)

Two Hundred and Eighteen!

And here it is; the post to eclipse both 2009 and 2010 combined.

Kind of anti-climactic, I suppose, given that both Neverland Transit Authority, and my office, here, are so quiet while we refurbish the station; something it desperately needs right now.

What's on tap for the rest of 2011? Well, hopefully, we can get the actual physical space of NTA Comics moved so that my new work commute stops eating up my entire life, for starters. The digital space for NTA moves at the end of the month; knock on wood it all goes smoothly. We're also looking to bring more help on board; something I'll be addressing fairly soon.

Once those things get wrapped up, we should be getting under way, again, soon. In the meantime, posting will return here in a limited number; probably for the remainder of the year, for now.

You know, no matter what ends up happening from here on out, I can honestly say that this year sure wasn't dull...

Rockin' Out with the First Lady of Video Games!

Metroid Metal is the brain child of Grant, lead for the metal instrumental group Stemage; of both I am a huge fan of.

The idea is simple; take the music of the Metroid franchise and arrange it with hard rock production values. The action of the games is now punctuated by hard hitting guitar riffs, pounding bass lines, and crazy drum rhythms.

I created this piece as a thank you to the crew for all the great music to my favorite video game of all time; the inspiration for Galactic Gun!

As per my usual productions, Samus and her guitar are hand drawn, scanned, and everything else is added digitally.

Both Metroid Metal and Stemage are on my tier one play rotation list. If you're a fan of the game, or the musical genre, you should definitely pick up this stuff, or at least give them some lovin'.

It might be a trap...

I'm not really going to, in my surmounting disappointment, make any comments about the new revisions going into the Blu-Ray editions of the Star Wars trilogy... when so many have done such a better job - well, funnier, anyway - then me!

I wonder how that call might have initially gone when calling down the editing team...

Seriously, George; you killed it. Now you're just Force whipping a dead bantha...

Keep Smiling!

Kimmi Smiles would like to help you

with your walking dead issues...

Not quite new comic Friday...

Okay, so things are still not back up and running at Neverland Transit Authority just yet. However, we do have our very first ever piece of fan art!

That should hold you over for a bit...

From The Conductor: We are currently taking submissions for gift art. If you'd like to whip up your rendition of a character from Galactic Gun, a splash page, or a one off one page funny, drop us a line. All styles and media are welcome, but please keep it no more than PG-13.