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.