My two cents on the Cosplay debate

by Andrew on November 18, 2012 at 3:32 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

I’ll keep this short cause I have better things to worry about. but here goes.

The argument is that people who cosplay, or the majority of them, are not actually fans of the things they cosplay. That these folks are just looking for an excuse to play dress up or use their halloween costumes again. There is an heir of elitism in this line of thinking that is self destructive. If we start pointing out who is and who isn’t “Geek” enough, then we risk alienating future generations of comic, sci-fi and fantasy fans. We also risk becoming more and more fractured. Look at what has happened to Furry. Comic conventions are pretty homogenous. There are Star Wars fans, Star Trek fans, anime, movie, video game fans, but furry is a whole other convention. Granted other factors are at play there, but the same elitist mentality did play out in many furr centric conventions. We need to be more open to new fans. New fans bring new fandoms, and fresh blood to what would be an otherwise dying medium. I think when it comes to the accusation that these folks at not true “Geeks” keep in mind. When someone who chooses to step into a convention for what ever reason. They will be exposed to the world that we, the insiders know, and they will leave changed for the better. We need to be the ambassadors of geek culture. They may like a sitcom that bases it’s humor on playing with stereotypes of geek culture (And many other cultures mind you), but they will see what real geek culture is like. They’ll see the fathers and sons, mothers and daughters sitting down at tables to play D&D. They’ll see whole families attending, not just the ones in costume. Maybe they’ll go down artist alley and see people like me and my friends making art and running small businesses. Eventually what will happen is that these so called “fake fans” will be come true fans.

New fans bring many things. And all of them are good.

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A Leave of absence

by Andrew on November 6, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

I haven’t said anything about this yet, but I had another side project in the works this year. It’s a collaboration with my wife you might say. It’s scheduled for tomorrow night, which is early then thought. And yes I will post pics of “it” but not of “her”. (SO DO NOT ASK!) Needless to say I have been planing this for a year now. I will be taking time off of the site for a period of time. No more than 12 weeks. Maybe more, probably less. I will make the obligatory post in a few days to get folks up to speed.

 

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!! what fun!

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Bridgette pin-ups on Etsy!!

by Andrew on October 24, 2012 at 2:40 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

I’m finally getting it done. Long ago someone asked me if the pin ups from Bridgette’s Belly were for sale. At the time I said no. That was a mistake. Hopefully people are still interested, cause now there are up for sale at Etsy.

Tiger Thighs Etsy

There is over one hundred pin-ups. Ranging from “I can have this framed and hanging in my living room” to “She’s so big she scares small children”. I did the pin-ups over the course of four years, so the artwork is all over the place. They’re on 4 1/4″ x 11″ card stock and all of them are colored with prismacolor markers. $10.00 each $5.00 shipping and handling (I do combine shipping). Go on and check them out. I’m adding twenty new pin-ups a night until they’re all up.

Don’t just enjoy them online, own them!!

Daddy needs a Cintiq…

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“Sad Post”

by Andrew on October 11, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Posted In: Ramblings

Two reasons this is a “sad post”. First reason is there isn’t any illustration to go with it. I don’t like blogging unless I have art or pictures to add to the blog. I’m chocking this one out at a Starbucks because my wi-fi at home went out.  The second reason this is a”sad Post” is because I’ve run out of Bridgette script and need to write more. Thats why there isn’t a new strip up this week. Sorry.

But there are things to be happy about.

1: I’m three pages from finishing the last installment of “the shift manager”. Action packed and full of leg splitting fun. Once shift manager is complete I can start on Bridgette volume 8, and the new strips.

2: I’m going back now while it’s still fresh and coloring Toc-Tic. I’m not happy with the pages I did so I’m going back over them now while I still can. Toc-tic should be back at least by January.

3: All my other distractions are slowly being picked away. I’m hesitant though, whenever I say that then something comes up. I have until November 16 to keep distractions at bay. After November, I’ll be away for keyboard for at least a month. More details on that later. ==;> )

 

New Bridgette strips trump new Bridgette comic, so you can count on new pages before you I start the proofing of BB8.

Until then it’s Thursday. Starbucks and skittle ball day.

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Akatamago Manga

by Andrew on October 3, 2012 at 3:26 am
Posted In: Akatomago Manga

I love yard sales. As a kid the only money I had was from selling off old and unwanted toys at yard sales. Of course I would quickly turn around and buy more toys at other yard sales, but you get the idea. I do yard sales. I came across two Tomy Gacha Machines at a yard sale the summer before last. The people selling them didn’t have the keys to the coin drawers, but they had the keys to the toy hoppers. I was astounded to buy them for a mere $15 each. Normally these machines sell used on e-bay for about $200. But With out further thought, money was paid and the machines were hoisted into the back of my car. Over the next two weeks I poured over them. Lifting them up to hear the tell tail sound of full coin drawers. After taking one unit apart, I broke down and drilled out the locks. Eight tokens, three random disney fobs, and $20 in quarters. I sold the rest of the toy capsule to a local comic book shop for $12.

So $30 spent on Gacha machines minus $20 in quarters and $12 in simpsons & pokemon merchandise equals, happy me.

So now what do I do with the machines?

Why not sell comics?

Akatomago Manga was born. “Aka” means “red”, and “tomago” Means “egg” in Japanese. Or at least I think so. (Correct me if I’m wrong). The only thing I could get to vend properly in the Gacha Machines were Eggs. So I ordered a batch of 2000 Red plastic eggs. They come in two boxes, one box with tops and the other with bottoms.

Superball Diaries at Books Comics and Things near Georgetown shopping mall in Fort Wayne.

Superball Diaries at Books Comics and Things at Timecorners in Fort Wayne

The First comic under the Akatomago label (and so far only) is a short story I wrote about my childhood love affair with superballs. It’s called “Superball Diaries” and each comic comes packaged with a superball. Right now the only place to get these comics is at Books comics & things at Georgetown and Timecorners. OR if your lucky and I’m doing a convention you happen to be attending, I have a machine I lug with me. And I’m always happy to change your dollar for four quarters.

Last year at S.P.A.C.E. (Small Press and Alternative Comic Expo) I debuted Superball Diaries. I did ok. I was most moved by the kids who had the gumption to inquire about the machine and it’s contents. I even gave a few away to friends and a sweet little girl who very shyly ask “can I have an egg?”. I also dropped one into the Space Prize box.

You can check out my entry and a ton of other great comics at the  S.P.A.C.E. prize web site.

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