A Late Report of the SJ Comic Con

Note: I swear i am not just waking up from the food coma hibernation of In and Out Burger. I have not had a lot of time to play on the Internet. My summer vacation/reverse retirement is over. I am starting a new job June 1st and am really looking forward to it. Sure i will miss all of the writing i was doing, the long morning walks but I am a worker and hell they took Still Standing and the Sopranos off the morning schedule so maybe it is for the best. I am hoping to keep rolling on my projects and am happy to have finished 1 zine and created several dice games and I have done some comics that i do not totally hate. I will make a post about my zine Heel to Face and hopefully will have my short attention span zine done and one sketch book. Who am i kidding who reads this? ******

I believe this was my third trip to the San Jose Comic Con. Comic cons are interesting places, not unlike being around wrestling fans (yes I have been to a wrestling convention as well and kicked myself for missing one last week). The giant convention in San Francisco is nice and I have been twice but it is sensory overload. It is very comparable to when I was young and a music fanatic I was living in a small town where you could hardly find any music, so when we went to a good record store such as Love Garden in Lawrence (my future favorite hometown of 9 years) you had to take a list so you would not go blank and try to recall what and who you liked. San Jose’s con is smaller but just the right size where you forget where the booth was that had the $1 comics.

I gave myself a per Diem of $40 to spend. I had it in cash, which is rare for me. It was the same money I had set aside for the Giants game Wed. that I was unable to attend. I feel guilty about spending money while looking for work but I also wanted to have some fun to keep the void (what I call my blues) from fully engulfing me. I had a rough end to my week with my job search log having to be sent in again (which means no check this week) and having my flat German ass chewed to sawdust in the kitchen Friday night. So after a short dog walk I hopped in my trusty Escort and boogied on down to San Jose. I had an extra helping of guilt that Habitat for Humanity was having a turn in meeting today and I was going to try to make it. I did one Tuesday night (which was fantastic and a great experience, another blog another time) so I had met my commitments but was going to try and hit the second one.

I decided to do one lap around figuring totals in my head and maybe even make a second pass just to make sure. I take my per Diem serious and often dream of being rich and not rich in the sense of tailored suits and houses on the hills but of being able to buy my dad both of the Wonder Warthog comics I found and telling the guy to also bag up the whole collection of Tijuana Bibles. Yep nerd status full achieved.

Lately the household issue of space has been discussed once again, as in I need to box up a lot of my book and comics and rent a storage space. It is bad enough a lot of my tapes are in the garage but now I have to drive a mile or two if I decide I want to watch an old Starrcade? So sadly no figure buying or if I do I need to make them small so hopefully someday I can put them on a work desk.

Eye of the Gods by Gerimi Burleigh, $5: What a nice guy, very friendly and warm. I think of how it must kind of suck to spend so much time on your personal project that you are passionate about and have to sell it to people. Granted it is not as bad as selling insurance and for the most part I bet the people are pretty cool, but still it makes me want to buy something from every table to show the appreciation of what they are doing. Gerimi explained the book back and told me he would give me a good deal, they book is a small glossy black and white and I am on chapter 3 and it is pretty damn good. I also like how the main character looks a lot like him. It is a very well thought out story so far with characters getting a form of Lasik due to the UV rays being so bad. After the surgery the main character starts having visions. The cover is what drew me over as it is a fantastic color cover. You can get it at: http://www.optichouse.com/

I picked up Eyes of Gods on my way out as that was my final run, I had ten bones left and thought I will pick up that nice fella’s book and that great Punisher art print for $5 and then to In and Out Burger! I saw so many fantastic artists this visit. I am working out comic ideas even with very little art talent and this trip was inspiring. The SF one was sort of disheartening somehow, there were so many people selling I remember thinking why bother there are way too many indy comics as is. I purchased the Punisher print and felt sort of guilty as I should have picked up something for my nephews or for Justin as a wedding gift. I did take a card so maybe I will appease my guilt by the power of the Internet. I love seeing different art work of popular characters. The Punisher was done by Justin C. Orr and you can go to his web site http://www.jusscope.com/. I am not sure what I will do with the print as I live with someone who is very serious and grown up, but it was just too cool to pass up.

ECW House Party 98 $10: I was going to pick up a comp DVD from I believe it was called Darkside, run by a movie fanatic. We talked a little about wrestling and how Bruiser Brody was his favorite and he talked about seeing Brody when he was known as King Kong Brody and how he and his group still cheered “Bruiser”. He had one comp that had a few things I did not have but between 24-7 and my collection I had most. I ended up picking up an ECW show for a good price, it had a nice cover color and all. I had most of the other shows but picked this one up due to the Justin Credible vs. Great Sasuke match. I believe they had 2 matches and I remember Credible coming out wearing the mask. I am still shocked Sasuke put him over due to reading about him being kind of a dick. The brawling at the beginning felt a little forced but it was not a bad match. This was yet another booth I could have dropped a ton of cash on various DVDs such as the full runs of Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Get a Life with Chris Elliot. I did not pick up a card but the guy running it was cool and was shaking his head in amazement as a costumed Green Lantern went by with a hot girlfriend and we both just pondered the hows and whys.

One of the guys I was hoping to talk to was Mike Hampton who does some great comics. I went to an self publishing panel the year before and came away feeling very inspired. Sadly I have just now gotten around to attempting comics and a zine again but hey getting laid off does that to you. I took a small sketch he did of Iron Man and kept it in my folder (I am so 7 I have a folder I keep of news clippings, drawing, comics that cheer me up or that I find interesting). Sadly I had run out of money the year before but I was for sure picking up some of his books. I picked up the “How to Do Comics” and “Zodiac Killers.” The How to is great and super funny and it really has helped me with my attempt at comics. The Zodiac Killers is a great project where he takes each of the zodiac signs and illustrates the sign and tells a story of someone dying dealing with the sign. Some great and disturbing stories and a fun read. Mike was super cool and I hope I did not come across as a geek fan and I gave him a copy of my zine. He is working a new project about the weirdest people in the US such as the lady who fell in love with the Golden Gate Bridge, I offered up a few and hope I can find some information about the rancher in Jetmore.He does a comic called Capt. Asshole and I am planning on picking up some more soon. You can see some of his art and pick up a CD at www.916halo.com

Lots o’ Punisher: I go through phases. Currently I am in a Punisher one. I am not very original but I love the Ennis ones, especially the Widowmaker run. I found a lot of good deals but had decided I wanted to spend most of my hard stolen cash on indy comics. I picked up a Daredevil and Punisher trade and the Punisher Holiday trade for $2 a pop. I also found a stack of $1 Punisher 2099 and just got the first one to check it out. I recently picked up a one shot 2099 (I think that was the year) about a mother trying to teach her son to take over the Punisher job that was great so I decided to look into this.

It would have been easy to pick up a ton of trades and I got a few but one I was happy to get was the America’s Best Comics Presents Vol. 1. I like these collections and am a walking cliché as Alan Moore’s work got me back into comics. This collection has a great short Grey Shirt comic and the first Tom Strong (which I have had trouble getting into). I love the America’s Best Comics logo and have always said that when I finally go around the bin I am going to get that logo on my wrist sentencing myself to a lifetime of long sleeves.

I went to a booth that had a nice girl running it and it was called the HERO Initiative. They are a non profit that helps out artists who have no health insurance or residence. Now I am a bleeding heart deluxe, I am talking Abdullah the Butcher blood, so I was intrigued. Many artists do not own the rights to their own characters and have fallen on hard times. This just seems crazy to me but I can see it happening. HERO had some good deals on some books and the money went to the organization. The one I picked up was great and what I have read has been good and varied. Just as with my music tastes and my wrestling I love a good comp with lots of variety. You can donate or become a member at http://www.heroinitiative.com/

As I have been saying over and over ala broken record I could have easily dropped a ton of money at the con. I left with that good positive feeling and once again inspired to make yet another attempt at comics. I stopped at the madhouse of In and Out Burger and just enjoyed that weird glowing feeling and was chatty (flirty) with an attractive business lady who for some reason set down right next to me on the waiting bench. I hate how I look and my confidence has taken a shellacking but I can still bullshit pretty well. There was an older guy in great shape but shirtless and I remember making her laugh with a line about not enjoying eating my food while looking at old man tan nipples. I drove home listening to my new frustration the SF Giants and I think I passed out within 20 minutes of the final bite of burger.

Need nap getting sleepy... write more later

It is a rather warm Saturday and I am enjoying the air conditioning at the RWC Shores Library. I am not enjoying the noise all the kids make and the peering eyes of people. The crusty old man who lives in me wishes these kids would have more respect for the library. Well after a night of apparent narcolepsy I woke up to walk the dog and head to the San Jose Comic Con. It is a smaller convention and I like it more than the giant miles and miles of the San Francisco one. I will have a more detailed report of how it was and what i spent my $40 per diem I allowed myself. I am amazed at what I got with it. Write now I am slipping into a food coma due to the In and Out Burger I hit on the way home. Fantastic hamburgers and I decided to go for it and order the Animal Fries which are a secret menu item, fries with cheese, onions and thousand island dressing. So good and I am so fat so, so what. I even found myself flirting a little bit with the lady who sat a little too close while i was waiting for my food. I should go take a dip at the old apartment to make it officially a Best Day Ever (sung to the Spong Bob song of the same name). I needed a good day after not hearing from the place i interviewed at and finding out I had to refill my unemployment claim for this week. I have access to a puter so tonight I will write the long over due comic blog. Good night Irene even though it is the afternoon.

A quick one while my mind is away

I was hoping to get a blog in about comics I purchased last week and also a couple I picked up from Free Comic Book Day. It may have to wait until tomorrow. This week has had its ups and downs. I am still waiting on pins and needles to see if I got the job I interviewed for last week. Maybe I was not as dynamic as I thought. I was unable to go to the Giants game which is OK since they did lose. I have been feeling good and anxiety free but that was changed pretty quickly with one conversation. I knew I would be up late worrying but instead I created a dice and WWE Chipz game that I am pretty happy with. This morning I made a barb wire version of the game. I just need to write out the rules. So I am out of here. I have to pick up the wee man, off to soccer and hopefully later some job searching. Thank a higher power for my new found interest in baseball, Chipz game and my Cover the Earth hat I just found. More tomorrow.

Friday Love and Hate and big sports news

So everyone is talking about the big story in baseball. Yup someone wants to pay top dollar for a Doug Frobel Pirates game worn jersey. Tee hee. Frobel was one of my favorite baseball cards as a kid. He looked like Funky Winkerbean (80's cartoon strip) and a little like Mike Deck who in the village of Haysville was like a Von Erich. I am for some reason baseball crazy and Thursday morning I was giddy with Manny's suspension. I hated him when he was with Boston and now the Dodgers. This year I am finally on board with the Giants, I think mainly due to the pitching staff but I am becoming a Benji Molina fan. This has been a hot sports week with Farve and now Manny (I guess A Fraud as well, although i would prefer he move into a wing of Madonna's giant vagina). I may expand a little later, but truthfully I am afraid of becoming a sports junkie who writes about it. So here is some love and hate for this week:

Love:

One of my best friends in the world getting married and being able to see it via the world wide web.

My long walk, the morning is nice but the night has its charm as well. I seem to come up with a lot of ideas and projects i want to do, IE the baseball game with dice and short attention span zine. I am not allowing myself to take the I Touch on these walks.

Benjamin Buttons: I sometimes pee on a movie due to hype (OK i do that often) but i Red Box rented this and loved it. I could watch a whole movie of Pitt as the old man the size of a boy. A very beautiful film that I am glad i put aside my notions of it. It is a very sentimental film that made me think a lot about the characters and family i have had in my life, yup I cried.

WWE 24-7: Really about the only thing that the E does correctly. I am overloaded on goodness this month with the Lucha stuff. They also have a Film Vault episode of Bill Watts. I am really getting into Billy Jack Haynes for some reason. The previous episode of Prime Time had some great matches, Sika vs. Muraco (Muraco did a driving front knee face crusher from the top) and a Broadway of Harley Race vs. Ko Ko. I like a dumb ass did not tape it. Great channel worth the $10 or so.

Farkel: I love this dice game more than cards I think. I just wish my mom was in the area so we could play and drink some cheap wine. I am hoping to teach it to the wee man as he is enjoying playing 21 or as he calls it Flapjack.

Hate:

Not a lot at this moment. Had a great interview, I guess I hate how fat I feel but on the other hand I love eating. I am a little under the gun to get my Momma Day project done but as 5:27 I am feeling full but good. Oh I hate I was not at Strider's wedding, I hate myself for that one. Well maybe my old employer for firing me so I would not be able to afford the trip.

Tomorrow I will maybe write a little more. I am planning on reviewing the comics i picked up this week as well as more randumb thoughts.

Color me crabby...

So I have further proof that our computer age where we have lots of things that we cannot hold in our hands sucks. Yesterday I discover on my way too nice for me Itouch that somehow all of my purchased songs are gone and since i last used my girlfriend's lap top it is logged in as her. So I guess i will trudge to the mall this week and be made to feel like a hick by asking where my songs are. OK that is example 1, I am in the process of doing a zine and am doing it the old cut and paste way because that was how I learned and often I work on it at the new fangled screaming kids library and they have a new Word program that is hard to use. Well i went to open my template and file corrupt and it is the only one that will not open. In my own little world a zine put together with scissors and glue stick is needed now more than ever.

I really wasn't planning on being negative as of 3PM. I just wanted to flesh out a couple of reviews and blog here about the amazing character I ran into today. I had a phone interview which went OK in some ways (i made it to the second round) but the lady was short with me and cut me off several times. The home front was not to enthused about the prospect of data entry but at this point I just want to work. So I was semi grumpy and earlier when driving to a spot where i could actually get reception on my phone i saw this bearded, homeless looking guy i see walking around a lot (what makes this odd is I am currently living in a snooty town home area) rocking out on an electric guitar while crossing the street. I can't hear it but he is going off on it Ala Sonic Youth. I chuckled and laughed just thinking about all the BMW and Mercedes drivers being offended.

Well after my interview I saw him crossing and let him pass and he seemed really happy. I stopped and rolled my window down and said hello. He showed me his guitar which kind of looked like a Fender Jaguar but was covered in tons of white paint. I asked him what kind of guitar it was and he said he wasn't sure but he painted it and it was great for when he played it behind his head because people could see his name. And near the tuning pegs it said Jimi and he had painted the US flag on the back as well. He really didn't seem crazy really, more like an excited child showing an art project he had worked really hard on. If i wasn't beaming enough from this encounter in such a pretentious neighborhood he then says "I tried to get my girlfriend to come walk with me and she said no. So i brought my guitar with me so I would have someone to talk to." And really when I think about being mad about MP3 players and computers and looking for a job I think maybe I should just take a long walk and maybe something to talk to.

On the Fly bare bones Issue 0

I am about to go and print up some full color covers etc. for my re entry into the dead concept of zines at Kinko's. I am taking it back to 1996 (wow what a great year) and producing a zine that you can send in the mail as well as read on the toilet. I am not sure of the title but I did a little one for a quick poop for a good shit of a friend Tim. I named it On the Fly as I was putting it together while working a crap job (wow that is a lot of toilet references) on a slow afternoon.

The insurance world is awful and not for me, but the I did get some writing done when I was often abandonned with little training. So here is the, I guess prototype to my zine which should be done this week. The official first issue has a lot of wrestling writing but also some comics and journal stuff. Enjoy and let me know if by some weird chance someone is reading this and even weirder that they would like a zine mailed to them or emailed as a word document. I also just realized that the photos I used are not transferring over, so I will just post a mug shot of a great wrestler Dick Slater who I hope is doing better.

On the Fly(I should be working) Issue: 1 Circulation:1
INTRO OUTRO

This zine is a one time special issue. What will it contain? The findings of a foolish boy from Kansas who should be working his butt off trying to make his sales quota but the boy is tired and alone in the office. Possibly not alone due to big brother’s computer eye. Is he safe from State Farm’s brown eye that blocks hotmails and you tubes and my wife Ashleys? Oops a friend told me. Is word safe from prying eyes? I am at least here. Right? All done on the fly.

Things I wish I could do better: draw, lose weight and smooth talk. I am a comfortable talker but by no means a smooth one. I often wish I had a choice of super powers. One would be that simply by opening my mouth and speaking people would fall in love with me. OK yeah that was a shitty movie called Love Potion #9. Now that I think of it if I had that power shouldn’t I use it for something other than selling insurance?

How did I end up almost 35 and in California which is so full of itself, that South Park episode was right it is amazing between the over indulged kids, hypenated names and Green cars that I have not ended up in a tower with a rifle.
No more ranting and moaning. Here are some choice cuts from the Diary of a Madman, wait scratch that Ozzy reference. Diary of a I am going to snap someday guy:
DIARY OF A POOP BUTT (excerpts the negative)

What I like as of 9-9-8: I got yelled at last night. I looked up flights home for Christmas. I read some of the new Sedaris book. I feel alone. I feel like 2 employees. I finished the Wire, I cried when Michael left Bug at the aunt’s house. I watched a horrible wrestling program XPW TV, Onita’s press conference made me laugh. Palin speaks like Pickles and looks like Tina Fey’s wise aunt. I think I look ok today. I wish I could take the day off and eat pizza and catch up on AAA. I miss the boys all of them nephews and friends alike. I have not done a lot yet today, just day to day stuff. I am thinking about looking into a part time job at a homeless shelter. I was proud that I shaved, showered etc. last night so I could sleep a little more this morning.

Hey kid this is not a library, is seldom heard. Now discouraging words…Had Subway in the park and hated myself, homeless laughing man in the gazebo, I should have given him half instead of waiting for the empty belch to finish… I am a prick. After lunch my peeing increases. I should be making phone calls. I will hang information on doors later and hope no one sticks angry dogs on my butt.
I am a false front, I walked into the parking lot and realized that no one really sees the dark cloud I have inside. Ancient Chinese Secret. Afternoon upswing, coffee breath and a crazy man from Bulgaria in the office, wealthy garbage man was he. Could I hang off those trucks and lose my sense of smell? Here yes in Kansas no with the cold and the ice storms, but it would be nice after a long cold day to warm up your feet and watch the weather girl and take a nap. I miss the seasons, I should be charged rent at Safeway. Good night.

The bump in the night/day of Sept. 10: Houston I had a problem, you know the shirt I liked? Within 5 minutes of preparing a dinner it was assaulted and thrown across the room by a lumpy guy who had Safeway chicken salad breath mixed with feta cheese and apple chips. OK OK it was me.
Hi here is my card for Sept. 11, 2008 not so lucky #7, maybe it is a death dealer card. Damn shirt does not want to stay tucked in today, smells like fresh laundry though. Had some wine and cheese and won a bottle of wine. Knee deep in the Skrull invasion and felt like one. Embrace change, change into more comfortable clothes. Digging up business as I think about elbow drop beat down and how I want to go to McDonald’s for a Big Mac and read comics in peace.

A demand list was given for the one hostage of the true me; a sports car, bigger house, nanny and a new baby. In too deep should take up soccer and block a shot every period with my testicles. Rich white and business like I do not believe is me. Not too bad a mood, some jokes but I was told I need to get thicker skin. Hey guess what you need to have a nicer mouth. The responsibility I guess is on the person who has hurt feelings.

AND A RANDOM ONE FOR THE ROAD:
Sometimes I think it would be nice to just leave everything all behind. Go back to Hays and work at Hastings and have a small apartment. I would be 3 hours from my friends and 1 and a half from my family. Or maybe move to New Jersey and get a shit job and go to wrestling shows. Or maybe I should grown up and quit being interested in comics, characters and toys. I am lost and it is bad as being lost on highways in the mountains late at night. Maybe I could go to Japan and work and go to BJW shows and enjoy the consideration and quiet of a full country. Maybe I could move to Canton and get a good house for a decent price, open a video store and live the rest of my days in a lonely peace. I know what I am supposed to want; big house and a nice car. I want a house where I can have my stuff out.

Top Ten Wrestlers My favorite 2 that are tickling my fancy as of 10-3-8 when I should be elbow deep in sales (this is on the fly god damnit):

1. Chessman I side with him in his feud with Cibernetico. Cibernetico is the HHH of AAA (clever huh?) A couple of weeks ago they had their first big one on one and he wore this odd orange doll mask with hair and removed it to have smudged black face paint. He looked deranged so it was great. He also in the same match took a nutty as a squirrel turd bump from a stunner off the apron onto a table. He lost but I hope they give him his own group with a certain gladiator I like. Yeah right. His throw away match with Ricky Marvin as his partner was so great, especially the spearing of Jack Evans through the ropes and a table. Chessman is a big caveman who bumps like crazy and has his mental good days and bad. I guess I relate.
Shadow WX: This pic is from his hot sauce board death match that I have not seen yet. It is getting mixed reviews. But hey I was excited to hear he won the belt again. He looks different now, slimmed down and tan. I wonder why guys go back to death matches after leaving it? I was just watching one last night and Shadow had tubes stuck in the front of his shirt and then got a knee splash. His death match finish is nutty as it is a light tube lariat. He is one passionate fella and hey Winger is back too. Will they team them up or have them kill each other? Knowing BJW they will do both. Heated singles match one day meaningless 6 man the next day.


The good:
Halloween type TV

Too many DVDs to watch

Burger King by the San Carlos airport

Skaar Son of Hulk

I had coffee today and a random girl smiled at me on Laurel St.

Sweet Brown Sugar aka Stagger Lee aka Koko B. Ware

10-30-8 is an overcast day with rain (finally)

The bad:
Baseball is over

No time to watch too many DVDs

Eyes watching over for State Farm

Bagging your weasel

Green, green politics- flamethrower this state

The ugly:
Said bagged weasel

The 4AM poop that died 10-29-8 onion
blossom covered in wet sand

Trying to sell something that you cannot touch, taster or fart on

*This quickly produced zine should be read on the toilet, but not for a big get a pillow poop but a quick one. For bigger and longer poops I recommend the following:
Planet Hulk
Joke Books
Wii manuals

Taking bites out of a 6 foot poop hoagie

Well I just looked at my previous post and the poop smeared writing was on the wall. But did i have to read it the day before my birthday? Come on! Yep I was let go from the insurance world the day before i turned 35. In some ways it was a relief, but in one big way it is not. Yep money. Sure i was not making a ton but better than now!

I have filed for unemployment and had to send more documents to prove that I am what I am. Who the hell would want to be me? If by some chance my ID was stolen it would be returned in a matter of days. But I have been writing more and plan on updating this more often. I was paid a high compliment by she who cannot be named that my writing was well written. Never mind the content but you take what you can get.

The job market is really awful and even worse where I am living (if you can call it living). In the past when I was in crisis the nights were the toughest times. Now it is bad in the morning when i am puttering around and cannot sit still, trying to plan out how to be productive and not feel like a loser.

So on top of my relationship slowly tanking and losing a job i was not sold on (sold out maybe?) my Uncle passed away as well. For some reason it has really bothered me. I had not seen him for some time but I really liked him. I look around here and see these inconsiderate rude guys and think they are not half the man my uncle was. He didn't make a ton of money, but he enjoyed what he did, doing handyman work. He loved my aunt and I do not mean in the flowery overpriced vacation way. He understood the day to day things that show that you are tuned in and care. He drove her to work every morning, made her meals and would get up before her to turn on the space heater in the bathroom so she would not have to walk on cold tiles. I miss my family more than i ever thought i would. I miss the gathering and ball busting that goes on. My uncle was there with a smile and would often shake his head at our salty family. He was a Cowboys fan and I truly think that is the reason why i no longer hate that franchise.

Tomorrow is another day of searching for jobs and trying to not feel so damn down in the AM. I think of how George Carlin said in an interview about how dying would suck because he didn't want to miss anything that was going on. He loved sitting down and writing and just being around. I may never do this for a living but it does cheer me up... most of the times.