Where to start? How about with a live-action adaptation of the mystery solving teens — en español! Or with the extremely limited-edition fat pony sculptures (lovingly crafted by Nikki Rice Malki, who apparently does not take the honorific exclamation), which go on sale at Topatoco tomorrow at noon EDT, inevitably leading to an even bigger rush and hordes of frustrated, denied, would-be patrons than today’s SDCC hotel wrangle (which, as of this writing, amazingly does not show as sold out yet).

Or maybe the fact that she’s up for a Shuster Award again this year¹, in the category of Webcomics/Bandes Dessinées Web (along with such worthy competition as Attila Adorjany, Andy Belanger, Rene Engström, Karl Kerschl, Gisèle Lagacé and David Lumsdon, Tara Tallan, and Steve Wolfhard, not to mention Cameron Stewart in the Artist/Dessinateur category for his print work).

Long-time readers of this page know that I have a thing for webcomics depictions of squid, and it should be noted that on a day when all the rest of that was happening, Our Kate also drew: squid. Seriously, if I were the sort to believe that God was sending me signs to start a cult, yesterday would have been shouting THE BEATON SHALL SHOW YOU THE WAY.

In non-Beaton-related news (unusual, I know), did everybody see that Rich Stevens’s inevitable march to conquer all media (via t-shirts) has claimed another milestone? Namely,prime-time network comedy featuring TV’s Wil Wheaton. Now I’m gonna have to explain that I owned the Electric Sheep shirt before it was cool.

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¹ I have to admit, this is the award that leaves me most conflicted every year, since the slate of nominees is always so strong. I think this year I’m pulling for Engström, because the ending of ALM made me sniffle and smile, or Wolfhard because Cat Rackham rocks my face off.

On any other day, the newly-revealed poster for Scott Pilgrim vs The World (“An epic of epic epicness”) would get pride of place up top, but this isn’t any other day. This is the day (well, okay, last night) that John Keogh, after many teasers, has dropped the last Lucid TV on us, and it’s a masterpiece. Last one to leave Jim Belushi Memorial Hospitul, turn out the lights. And may I note that the flashing logo on the side of JBMH will always remind me of one of Chuck Jones’s better sight gags.

• In other news, I’ve been meaning to mention this for a couple days now — Jim Zubkavich has been responsible for a lot of projects with his UDON Entertainment studiomates, and as of a week ago, that includes a new mini-series that is a) licensed from b) a fighting video game series that c) I’ve never played. I still enjoyed the hell out of it, because as Chris Sims rightly notes, You can never have too many ninjas.
• Last up, a philosophical diversion. Anonymous (as you will see in a moment) writes:
  

  Hello Gary,

  So recently I’ve been trying to get under control the large (for me) amount of hits one would get when they google my name, for a couple of reasons, mostly being the fact that they were created during an adolescent time of my life (my adolescence) and would like them to be kind of, well, removed. With the internet being like an infinite attic that everyone can shuffle through I would like my presence to be something more conscious, if you know what I mean. Could you please take a few seconds out of your day and just delete my last name ([redacted] from [redacted]) from the post copied below? I would be most grateful!

  [link redacted]

  Thank you!
  -[redacted]

  This is actually a bit of a dilemma for me — while it would be trivially easy to remove one word from one post, we at Fleen have had a long history of not retroactively de-publishing content. No matter how stupid, abusive, or misinformed the content (and that’s from us; the comment threads can get downright evil), it stays up because it’s a record of what actually took place. Corrections have been logged, of course (very minor things like typos and bad punctuation without notice; more weighty things like rewordings or retractions via strikethrough), but no comment or posting has ever been taken down.

  There is one caveat to that last statement, actually. At the height of the Todd Goldman Shitstorm of Aught-Seven, with lawsuit threats a-flying, one poster contacted me with a request that a comment be deleted because he’d submitted it from work, and was afraid if the lawyerin’ got out of hand, his employer might terminate him. I did so, and he resubmitted the same comment from his home computer, so the net effect was zero (aside from the chill in the air that expressing an opinion can be dealt with so harshly).

  Anonymous’s request reminds me a lolt of the story of “Peter”, who legally changed his identity to get away from Google searches; I take it as a given that the words and works that we craft should be things we are willing to stand behind, but must we be tagged with associations forever? I also take it as a given that everybody — every. body. — was an idiot as a teenage for instance (you really can’t help it, what with the hormones and the brain not being all the way cooked). Anybody with a smidge of self-awareness looks back on those years and slowly shakes their head with a muttered comment thanking [insert thankable entity] that they aren’t like that anymore. Heck, I find the process of growing, changing, and maturing (kicking and screaming all the way) means that any random interval of the past, from last week to third grade, is likely to leave me wondering how I could be such a dick back then and I hope I’m not like that now. So the line about an adolescent time of my life rings true for me.

  Ultimately, the full identity of Anonymous isn’t part of the story — not like a more prominent figure would be. And while the no-depublishing rule was something I set in stone for myself when Fleen started in 2005, if we are to grow, change, and mature, then we must be willing to revisit our ironclad beliefs as situations and circumstances warrant. Request granted, and we’ll take such considerations under advisement in the future.

Several things I noticed (some today, some holdovers looking for the right theme), all of which refreshed my hope in webcomics, humanity, and the universe in general (although understand it’s a sliding scale — we’re not talking Mentos levels of refreshment here).

• First, allow me to draw your attention to the the Young Adult panel at MoCCA in a little less than a month’s time; I didn’t notice it when it first posted, but happened to today when Raina Telgemeier tweeted about it (odd, as it’s even harder to pick out in the tweet). It’s on Sunday, at 4:30:
  

  Young Adult graphic novels are swiftly gaining popularity among librarians, teachers, and most importantly, young readers! Join Hope Larson (Chiggers, Mercury), Jillian Tamaki (Skim), Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Baby-sitters Club), and Tracy White (How I Made it to Eighteen) for a discussion about their work, their influences, and their audience. Moderated by The Beat’s Heidi MacDonald.

  Everybody on that panel is allowed into this year’s Drink & Draw Like A Lady (Eastern division), and it’s not on the topic of What’s It Like To Be A Comics Creator With A Vagina? I think we just hit the comics panel equivalent of the Bechdel Test.

• Also on the refreshing scale: sharing data to the benefit of all. The most instructive panelist I’ve ever seen talk about the business of webcomics remains Jennie Breeden at SDCC ‘06 because she talked about the hard lessons (not quitting the day job, struggling to not lose by going to a convention, how all paths to success involve a million baby steps). She remains that which all aspiring pro cartoons should figure they are going to emulate, one way or another.

  Now steps in another willing to share the tales of what it takes to make comics, and it’s Tyler Page of Nothing Better, and in a pair (so far) of Livejournal posts, he’s pulled open the metaphorical kimono to share all the gory details on self-publishing. Want to know how much you get for US$46,918.60? Read the posts, and consider them carefully.

• You know what’s fascinating in an awful, stomach-churning kind of way? Reading a comment thread on a topic that you care about. So it’s refreshing that a lot (but never all — thanks, Ted!) of the reflexive rancor towards webcomickers and webcomicking has muted over the years, to the point that Ryan Sohmer (an admitted webcomics author) has been accepted as an associate member of the National Cartoonists Society.

  No doubt his success with Least I Could Do and Looking for Group had a lot to do with it, but one cannot deny the love Sohmer has for cartooning in general or the lengths to which he will go to support it (although some will try damndest — thanks, Ted!). Fleen offers congrats to Sohmer, and holds out hope that this rapproachment and blending of cartoonists (regardless of distribution medium) may continue.

I had power when I went to bed (that would be of the electrical variety to my house, not any sort of personal authority or might), but it decided to go away in the night, leading to a screwed-up alarm and a day where I’m running to catch up. Only the prospect of pie left over from yesterday’s nerdery-slash-cooking can buoy me now. Well, that and a few other things:

• Kinokofry (by Rebecca Clements) has been undergoing a redesign of late, and what better day to launch the All! New! Site! than on Clements’ birthday? It’s pretty, and the prospect of new cartoonery (unimpeded by web design work) appeals greatly.
• Big celebrations in Great White North as White Ninja turns 1000 strips young, with tremendous guest art from Becky’n’Frank, Our Kate, Josh L. Ponywrangler, and The Incomparable Kelly. Everybody feel good for Kent and Scott.
• It’s goin’ on a year since I told you about Neil Cohn and his comics research; he’s back with another survey of comics, context, and perception (and remember: it’s FOR SCIENCE). Those interested can follow the link, and if the pursuit of pure knowledge isn’t enough for you, there’s a raffle for a $50 Best Buy gift card.
• Finally, Comics exist on web, film at eleven. Also: Spanish dictator Francisco Franco is still dead, but he seems to be more accepting of that fact. Question: is it satire when your wacky suggestion is, in fact, a recitation of exactly what’s happening? I think it’s actually just getting to the “acceptance” stage.

Well, me and my dog will just have to have fun by ourselves. So there.

• In what’s becoming an annual tradition, Kate Beaton is nominated for a Doug Wright Award, recognizing the best in Canadian comics and graphic novels. Last year, she took the award for Best Emerging Talent, and this year she’s nominated for the Pigskin Peters Award, which recognizes experimental or non-narrative comics, for Never Learn Anything From History. Mark my words, in a few decades they’ll just retire this one and create a new award named after her. The awards will be presented at TCAF, 7pm on Saturday, 8 May.
• Webcomics character (and creator) cameo day over at Shortpacked!, as David Willis ramps up the romance inherent in toy collector circles. In case the storyline isn’t offensive enough to those threatened by THE GAY, allow me to draw your attention to the pre-orders for Shortpacked!’s third book, appropriately titled Shortpacked! Is Totally Gay, with cover art to match. Because honestly, the only thing more homoerotic than GI Joe is Top Gun.
• The finest comic retelling of the Twelve Labors of Herakles since Matt Wagner brushed up against it is now up for pre-order. What, you didn’t realize that Gastro and Phobia were telling stories parallel to the oldest of Greek myths? Even once you knew that Alcides was in the storyline? Yeah, I’m guessing that G&P did all the work, and Big H got all the press.

You know who is more self-contrasting than anybody else in webcomickry? Josh Lesnick. On the one hand, he works mightily to keep the adult side of webcomics economically viable for creators (perhaps putting so much effort to the advantage of his associates that he neglects the success of his own works), struggling against things PayPal and credit-card processing policies that shy away from anything even vaguely hinting at naughty bits.

On the other hand, his loose, scribbly style is made for the absolutely cutest, most innocence-projecting images possible, without quite slipping over the line into diabetes-inducing treacle. Good samples of both sides of Lesnick’s work can be seen at Pink Snow Bunny [sometimes NSFW, but so very cute; also: moustaches].

And now, the full cute potential has been unleashed in tribute to his fellow creators. Ladies and gentlemen: Josh Lesnick presents Webcomic Pony Party. It’s mare-velous.¹

• It took me eight “turns” to get through the latest Dresden Codak, with a couple of free rolls thrown in for good measure. I’m only now realizing that Latin Heart-throb Aaron Diaz may have meant me to use something other than a six-sided die. I’m pretty sure I have some other geometric solids around here somewhere.
• One of the better webcomics to hit in the past year has been Odori Park; while it doesn’t feature axes or the cops that love them, it conveys a pretty strong sense of creator Chris Watkins’ life and experiences … heart, if you will. With a first anniversary coming up, Watkins has a call for guest strips out. Anybody interested, deadline is Monday.
• Almost missed it: Weregeek’s second book is up for pre-order until tomorrow, and if you’re going to be at EmCity, creator Alina Pete will be there with copies in hand. Lots of other creators there too, with lots of new and con-specific goodies. Those in the great Pacific Northwest, let us know how it goes.

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¹ I’m so, so sorry.

ROFLCon II (30 April & 1 May, at MIT; that’s my anniversary weekend, so I think I’m gonna have to miss it) now has an official shirt. Oh, but it is glorious. Obviously the work of the very sexy R Stevens, riffing on Antonia Neshev’s now-ubiquitous design, and printed by the same design shop that did the original, so no concerns about anybody ripping off anybody. Hooray!

• As I mentioned back in the autumn of last year, xkcd volume 0 was chock-full of puzzles that I intended to let other people solve. And solve them they have, at long last.

  As I suspected at the time, the puzzles scattered throughout the book were smaller components of a larger puzzle, and the final pieces were put together yesterday by xkcd forum member aspragg, who announced the solution to the meta-puzzle (needless to say, spoilers ahoy). Word of the solution will no doubt spread like wildfire, but if you don’t want to know, don’t read the footnote.¹

  In the meantime, it’s still up in the air whether the Dinosaur Comics cipher from last week will take as long or longer to solve.

• In other news, looks like James Kochalka will have his videogame. The Kickstarter campaign for Glorkian Warrior has reached its goal with 13 days to go; in Kochalka’s words, Any pledges beyond our goal will help make the game even better!, so if you were planning on kicking in a couple bucks, you still have time.

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¹ Solution proposed: (more…)

For those that enjoyed the Jess Fink covers yesterday, we’ve got more eyecandy for you today (this time from Hurricane Erika), along with some process porn. Is it weird that I, who creates no visual art, cannot get enough of this image-building? Anyway, it all builds up to a tentacle-rich conclusion, and should be available in time for TCAF.

• Okay, not exactly webcomics, but I’ma go with it anyway. Andrew Farago, the oft-mentioned on this page curator of the Cartoon Arts Museum and champion of [web]comics in general, wants to raise some money for the museum and is willing to put his pride on the line to do so:
  

  In honor of the Cartoon Art Museum’s current exhibition, Batman: Yesterday and Tomorrow, CAM Curator Andrew Farago is turning back the clock to 1989. Or, to be more specific, he’s turning his head back to 1989. If the Cartoon Art Museum receives $5,000 in donations between now and the evening of April 2, Farago will shave the famed Bat-Symbol into his hair at the Museum’s annual WonderCon weekend fundraising party, just as many Bat-Fans did in the months leading up to the release of Warner Bros.’ 1989 Batman film.

  “My mother thought it was a bad idea 21 years ago, and I’m sure she’d still think it’s a bad idea today. I’ve had plenty of bad haircuts before, but this is the first one I’ll be getting for a good cause,” said Farago.

  Not mentioned in the press release is the reaction of Farago’s wife, who will likely find the prospect of a Bat-Head husband to be either irredeemably stupid or rad beyond all measuring; I’m betting on the latter, actually. Donations can be made through CAM’s website, Facebook pages, tinyurl, or by mail to the Cartoon Art Museum at 655 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 (please indicate “Bat-haircut” in the subject line, and don’t forget to deduct it from next year’s taxes).

• So we’re less than a month until the Jesus Pad completely changes comics (both print and web varieties) or doesn’t. In the meantime, I have to believe that those that might be most impacted are publishers currently trying to distribute for-pay material electronically, but not going through any of the mega storefronts to do so.

  Case in point: iPulpFiction.com, distributing some fairly big name authors, at really low price points, what appears to be be online-only material. At least, their new graphic novel, The Cobweb Dective Club is described specifically as “an online graphic novel”, and I can’t find any references to eventual dead-tree versions (while they’re advertising the iPad as a viewing platform, near as I can tell, they maintain their own payment system).

  General question for all of you early adopters — if you buy an iPad and oh look, no iPhone tethering to avoid having to purchase a second data plan — are you likely to then also pay to third parties, or will the ongoing costs drive you more toward free content? I’m trying to get a sense of what you’re willing to purchase.

• Quick reminder: Danielle Corsetto signing in Dallas tomorrow; details here.

Let’s just right to it, shall we?

• Jess Fink gave us a treat on Saturday: the covers for her two forthcoming (i.e.: this summer) books from Top Shelf: We Can Fix It (a memoir of Fink’s time-travel exploits) and Chester 5000 XYV (hot, hot Victorian robo-erotica) (warning: contains wang, both organic and robotic). I love both of those pieces, but the Chester cover just might be my new favorite thing ever. How Fink can do something so sexily charged and yet balance against a certain demureness, I’ll never know.
• There’s a couple of major centers for cartooning scholarship in this country: SVA, of course, CCS and SCAD are fast establishing themselves, and CAM is the public face. But for good old-fashioned throw yourself into the collection stacks archivery, you really have to go with Ohio State University’s Bily Ireland Cartoon Libary & Museum, which is undoutedly the premier collection of comics in the country, with maybe only the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée to rival the depth and breadth of its collection. The entire stack of original BONE pages is just one of the treasures that OSU has.

  Every three years, they have a festival and academic conference on cartooning; the tenth one will be in October, and there’s some interesting names on the presenter list: Matt Groening, Roz Chast (the best and most prolific New Yorker cartoonist since Charles Addams), Gene Yang, and some guy named Kellett. Kellett’s particularly an interesting choice because he plans to speak in response to a speech at the same event 21 years ago by some guy named Watterson. As Kellett puts it:

  At the 1989 Festival, Watterson spoke of the incredible potency in comic strip cartooning: This rarest of arts that let one artist, one voice, speak to millions. This artform that lets the personal outlook shine through, where so many other mass media arts do so by committee.

  I want to speak to his concerns about the space allotted comic strips in newspapers; about zombie comic strips still being drawn long after their original creator had died; about why so many features have stale, interchangeable voices; or why so many are merely advertisements for dolls and greeting cards; or why comic strips in general have been on this slow, downward trend of diminishment in American life for the past 20-30 years

  Because basically, I’m going to talk about this incredible change of fortune for the comic strip. I’m going to talk about Webcomics.

  Note to self: see if the limited seating at the festival includes press access or not.

• The hottest writer in webcomics is now six: Happy Birthday to Malachai Nicolle.
• The donation drive to benefit Cheyenne Wright is underway here. From Phil Foglio:
  

  Originally it was feared that he had congestive heart failure, which was surprising, as he is in his thirties and a quasi-vegetarian. It has since been disclosed that there is a fucking virus (Coxsackie B virus) that can cause it, and you don’t even have to eat 2 pounds of bacon every day. He is doing better, but can only taste lemons, and is under the illusion that he has a pet squid named ‘Renaldo’. We ascribe this to dosage issues with his medication.

  That’s just what Foglio wants you to think, as I happen to know that he’s prejudiced against squid. All kidding aside, Phil & Kaja Foglio, and everybody that works with them, are stellar people and if you have a few bucks to spare, there are far worse things you could spend it on. How much food and shelter do you need anyway?

• Finally, from Danielle Corsetto, jet-setter extraordinaire, news that the new, previously-unnamed New Jersey comics show now has a name, and a date, and a guest list! Wild Pig Comics II presents Wild Pig Comic-Con, May 15 & 16, in Springfield, New Jersey, complete with Ms Corsetto, her partner in infamy, Randy Milholland, David “I did exclamations before Malki” Willis, a stack of other web- and print-comickers, and the latest iteration of Super Art Fight. Total cost to you for all this? FIVE BUCKS. Seriously.

Everybody’s gearing up for Emerald City Comicon, with a more-than-healthy contingent of webcomickers slated to be in attendance. Alice Bentley has done her usual bang-up job compiling a list of said reprobates, with the TopatoCo crüe providing a handy-dandy map of where to find their associated creators.

Speaking of TopatoCo, they’ll be sponsoring a special Live ! performance of Tweet Me Harder ! starring Kris Straub and David Malki ! at the night-before pre-party. Judging from the Dr McNinja book release party in San Diego last summer, TopatoCo know how to throw a serious party.

• Wired weighs in on the nature of webcomics (haven’t found a link at their site, so enjoy a photo instead). Not sure that I get the claim that Octopus Pie tends towards esotericism and Achewood towards accessibility, but what the heck. Jump in and start quibbling.
• Webcomic book review reviews book of webcomic. Recursive film at eleven.
• I need a ruling on awesomitude. Is this more or less awesome than this? Both feature doctors with blades on motorcyles, although one does also feature helicopters, which are known to be severely awesome. Show your work and give examples.
• The second part of the guide to effective Ustreaming (brought to you via the efforts of Rob Tracy, driving force at Webcomics Community, and rumored backup Thunderbird pilot) is now available. All who wish to broadcast their arting, have a gander here.