Webcomics

    While sitting around wondering what was new or interesting to me so I could write this blog, I realized that most of what I was talking about previously had to do with mainstream comics and cartoons. So far, I think I have failed to put a spotlight on something many times as in-demand: webcomics. There are a few I like to check back on every once and a while, like Questionable Content, Boxer Hockey, and Doctor McNinja. The funny thing is, though these and (as far as I've seen) most web-based comics are free, yet if the author / artist misses their weekly posting, I catch myself flipping out mentally that my neediness is not being met. Studying the borders of the websites, I begin wondering if these artists could possibly be supporting themselves, not with the comic itself, but with the merchandise that they are advertising to readers. It's also probably a good way to bolster your resume if you ever wanted to move into one of the "bigger" comic book niches, although it would probably be surprising if any of these artists would give up the strips that are their babies to move on to something where their names get lost behind the BATMAN or SPIDER-MAN titles.
    Also, one of the only things I would caution people against is that, since these are usually independently created/owned, it's up to the creator to decide what kind of content is in the comic strip. Therefore, it's not governed by the rules companies like DC and Marvel are. Just the creator's imagination.
   Basically, watch out, it might be harder to give them a "Parental Rating" than a movie or video-game.

Anyway, part 2 of the blog is only mentioning that The Walking Dead is being made into a TV show, and is beginning this Halloween. Yes, it's a zombie series (#1: Yes I said series. That's a first.), and judging by the comics which have changed my opinion on the cliche of any movie containing "zombie" in the name, it's going to be very cool. Maybe I'll write about it next week if it turns out to be awesome.

Comic Con 2010

"Hey, let's go to the Comic Con in New York tomorrow."
Thank you, little brother. 

Comic Con New York 2010 was... what's a word that has more punch than "awesome"? I use that too much. This was my first-ever Con, let's put it that way. Anyone who's gone probably remembers what that's like.

After standing in line for a while with my two brothers, then getting in another fast-moving line to get our passes, I was starting to get excited. I must have been half-asleep on the train of something, because I was just now starting to resist giggling like a little girl.
...
(You think I'm kidding.) 

The second I saw the entrance with the gigantic, IGN sponsored plasma screens hovering everywhere, I actually stopping thinking for an indeterminate amount of time. My brain tried to process just the first room and almost stopped completely. Saying it was like a kid in a candy store might be something you could compare it to. 

I could write a LOT on everything we got to do or see, but here are the main things:
-We met Jim Lee, I shook his hand and got him to sign my pass. (Jim Lee was the first artist in a while that brought me back into comics from DC. I liked his style of mixing realistic detail with comic stylization, if that makes sense)


-I got to look at artists' original pencil sketches that were going for, like, $300 each (Green Lantern double-page spread, anybody?)

-Saw gameplay of Marvel VS Capcom 3 and DC Universe Online, which if you haven't seen the trailers for...go. Now. Come back here later. GO.


-I got to meet 3 people I have seen art advertised for online on DeviantArt.com. THAT was awesome.
I would like to take a moment to thank everyone again who put so much work into the Con this year. Like I said, it was my first Comic Convention ever, and this one not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it in a lot of ways for me. I just got done telling a co-worker that wished he could go that today made up for feeling like crap (I mean BAAAAD) for 8 hours at work yesterday, and all the work/college exhaustion this week. Therefore, I'm not just saying this to say it: THANK YOU.

Computer Generated Imagery

I came across a promotional video on YouTube the other day that was made to show off a new open source animation creator called Blender. I'm not even all that sure why I clicked on it. Maybe it was the word "dragon" in the tagline, maybe the thumbnail looked cool enough. Regardless, I was really surprised at the quality of the video. At 1080p,the movie Sintel looked about on-par with any Disney-Pixar movie that has recently come out. 

The animation was extremely fluid, and didn't look at all amateur. At least one complaint in the comment section was that the dialog was contrived and boring, but I think it actually wasn't bad at all; there just wasn't much of it. Seeing as how it was a 3D animation promotional video, I think it was meant to show off the quality of the animation's movement, not necessarily spectacular sound. Maybe one of the most surprising things was that after looking into the Blender website, I found out that the program is free.

The entire 15 minute movie short is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRsGyueVLvQ

I've always been a fan of both comics and cartoons, and I think that computer animation is something that is constantly getting better and better. Honestly, if I could go to graduate school for it, I don't think I would hesitate long before signing up. One significant change to computer animation is the use of real people (wearing some weird mapping-outfits) as models; if done well, it keeps movement from looking jagged and unnatural, and also helps add a lot of detail to facial expressions.

I don't think it's going to replace live-action filming too soon, but in terms of that niche of movies, shows, and video game animations, it's really exciting and kind of scary to see how CGI is starting to look less and less like a fabricated reality.