Catching Miscreants

 Screw Comics 4 is live! It's here, it's out! It's ready for you! Get it HERE!

 

 

Foundation Leveling

 

Spoiler Free, btw. 

 Over the last few years I’ve been digging into the works of many classic sci fi authors. It started when I found an old Isaac Asimov short story collection that belonged to my father-in-law. I’ve always enjoyed science fiction in other media but I feel that was my first real experience reading full on sci-fi literature. I was intrigued by the notions of far off planets, space stations, all-knowing supercomputers, and of course, robots. After that I dug into a few of the classics of Arthur C. Clark, Robert Heinlein, and Phillip K. Dick, and lesser known but also important authors like Andre Norton. When looking through bibliographies and figuring out what to read next I always came across Asimov’s Foundation. But looking at the expanse of volumes it covers I found it a bit too intimidating to just jump in. I looked elsewhere and read other books. 

And then I found out Apple TV is making a Foundation TV series. I was coming up on the end of my latest read and I decided it’s time to dig in, so I hopped on ebay and ordered book 1. I picked it up and I found it pretty engaging enough. I never read too much about the book series beforehand. I just knew it was about a man by the name of Hari Seldon who comes up with a plan to save the galactic empire, which is falling to ruin. Asimov’s keen writing kept me glued to the book, and because I had the small, pocket paperback editions it was easy enough to pick up and read when I had even just a few minutes to spare. 

 

Trilogy cover art by Michael Whelan

One of the first things I noticed (especially in the first trilogy of books) is that you’re not weighed down with overly descriptive paragraphs of vague future technology or the way things work in the distant future. As these first 3 were written early in his career, Asimov kept the depictions of technology to a minimum. Instead, the early stories focused more on the character’s motives and missions, showing how they maneuvered politically to get things done and move the plot (and The Seldon Plan) forward. That first trilogy is very political, indeed. 

The biggest thing that stuck with me, though, is the scope of the entire series. The plot of the story moves along the course of 1000 years. In the beginning a desolate planet called Terminus is settled by a cluster of scientists and historians, and through the course of the entire story that planet and its population are somewhat a focal point. Reading about that got me thinking about the unspoken microcosms within the world of Foundation. While the main characters are out and about making their moves, sealing their deals, I imagine worlds on these planets are being built and torn down. A lot can happen in 1000 years. Just look at America and all the bullshit we’ve been going through. All these (still ongoing) fights for rights and equality, the old ways versus the new ideas, and we’re just 245 years old. 

The idea of social revolutions taking place on Terminus as the story moved along bubbled in the back of mind. The universe is not a utopian one, in fact, that’s why the Foundation was created, to save humanity from an extended period of chaos, so of course the people on any planet would be going through stuff. With communities growing and being built you have to imagine that there are city planners working out the detailed layout of these futuristic, far-off cities. In fact, it makes you wonder that in 20,000 years if mankind has civilized the galaxy, maybe they’ve learned a thing or two about infrastructure planning, so settling new cities doesn’t lead to all the problems we deal with here and now. 

Thinking about the wide scope of the story also got me thinking about how technological advancement happens within a civilization and how it affects people and cultures. For example, humans have had this invention of the automobile now for over 120 years. That’s it, just 120 or so years, and in that time it’s amazing how much this invention has shaped the landscape of how we built our society, and how it’s shaped the subcultures within. Not only is the actual industry of the automobile an economic force to be reckoned with, but it is also cemented within smaller communities such as hot rod and lowrider enthusiasts, among others. The term ‘Car Culture’ exists for a reason. Our society wouldn’t look the same today without this colossal invention. And so, what sort of inventions are shaping culture in the universe of the Foundation series? 

While it’s somewhat a given that humankind is, technologically, always moving forward, Asimov doesn’t really mention it until book 4. In the original trilogy, instead, he presents civilization as having achieved a certain level of advancement, however some of that advanced technology is only available on certain planets. High technology exists, it’s just not at everyone’s disposal. And what this technology is, other than described as nuclear-powered, is all up to your imagination. Within the editions of the books I read contained a four page blurb detailing the scenario of how the Foundation series came to be. Among the many insights discussed in that blurb was the fact that the original trilogy came out in the 1950s, and by the time Asimov returned to writing the remaining books in the 1980s science had made so many more discoveries and advancements. He mentions an example such as the discovery of black holes within that time. Indeed, I’m glad he left out any overly detailed technological descriptions of the future in the original trilogy, it would have made the series far less timeless than it is now. 

However, when he returns to form in Foundation’s Edge, book 4, descriptions of new technology are perfectly apt and fit right in with the story. His idea for a computer interface within the protagonist’s ship, the Far Star, is fresh and even by today’s standards pretty impressive. In fact, the whole of this ship is fascinating. He imagined an interstellar spaceship that was so advanced, even for this society, that it is propelled by gravitic forces instead of rocket propulsion. And considering a few short years ago we just discovered gravity waves, that’s a mighty impressive speculation. 

The last two books are rife with all kinds of astronomical terminology and ruminations. You can tell Asimov followed all these discoveries closely and was excited to use these ideas. The last two books are very thick when compared to the original trilogy, and that’s because he explores these ideas fully and descriptively. 

Of course there were other elements at play within the whole of the story, a big one is the notion of mentalics; humans with the ability to read and/or manipulate the minds and emotions of others. It sounded kind of campy at first, but as this dynamic got woven into the story it leveled the playing field between the humans with political power and technology and those without. It’s an interesting idea, albeit a more fantastical one, but who knows where human biology will be in 20,000 years. In books 4 and 5 we’re introduced to a few variations of the human species, one of which is a planet with the entirety of its inhabitants and objects sharing a single consciousness, and the other is an intersex (the term hermaphrodite is used in the novel) society that has biologically-developed cranial lobes behind their ears capable of transducing energy. Some interesting concepts, indeed. 

The big difference in the last two books as compared to the original trilogy, is that the politicking and the passage of time through the ages has become non-existent in favor of a few central characters and their quest through space. Well, our main character does a few political maneuvers from time to time, but gone are the tales of noble citizens ascending the ranks to make moves to insure Hari Seldon’s plan. I would have liked to hear about Seldon’s hologram appearing one more time, it would have tied the series together a bit more. But I think by this time Asimov was more interested in a singular adventure narrative as opposed to the descriptions of space fleets and conquests of planets. While the original trilogy covered all sorts of characters and politicians through the span of 400 or so years, the last two books followed the same handful of characters through nearly 1000 additional pages. It’s quite telling of the author’s headspace then and now. 

Another thing the scenario blurb mentioned was how when he started the series Asimov was really into the fall of the Roman empire, and was fresh off the heels of reading up on it’s play by play history. I find it extremely fascinating how he could be so moved by something very real and very grand historically speaking, and he took that inspiration and crafted something amazing from it. The original trilogy presents something that mirrors that history, deconstructs it even, and uses it as a way to imagine an illustrious yet troubled future for humankind. It goes to show that even as humankind advances we are never far off from a slip up, and that that advancement can come tumbling down. Plus, I know the feeling of drawing inspiration from something that’s right under your nose and it’s exhilarating.

 Overall, I enjoyed the series very much. However, while I was digesting what I had read I couldn't help but feel sad and disappointed. And it’s not from the book themselves but going back to the scope, the perspective that came with imagining humankind in 300, 1000, and 20,000 years from now. With everything going on today, especially this looming kaiju we call climate change, I've been hit with a reality check that we still have a very long way to go as a civilization. I used to think, I think we all did (or still do), that we would see some futuristic-type things in our lifetime, the classic go-to being flying cars. Peace in the middle east, the end of starvation, virtual reality with a practical use, any one of these also fell into that category. And perhaps that’s just the positive framework that my generation was raised with, that we, us, would go forth and change the world for the better. Naive sure, but at the time when we were finishing high school and stepping out into the world everything seemed to be on the up and up (Pre 9/11). 

"You son of a bitch, you did it..."

Thinking about the scope of human civilization from reading these books has smacked me back to reality that we are indeed, as individuals, not all that special. Sure, we’re special in the sense that what we do here on earth has an immediate effect on those who are involved in our lives, but most of us will never be famous or renowned for anything we do in our lifetimes. We like to think we’re so important now and what we do has to have some kind of deep meaning, and then we die and civilization keeps moving on. I even realized that those people we do hold in high regard; famous artists, researchers that have contributed scientific breakthroughs, leaders of countries, etc, aren’t necessarily special or different from us common folk, and they too will eventually be brushed aside by the passage of time. Essentially we are just another generation raising up another generation, who’ll ideally grow up and raise another generation. So on and so forth. Except now we’re facing something that has the potential to end the continued proliferation of the human race. 

My sadness and disappointment stem from the notion that while we have a civilization full of famous people, philanthropists, charismatic leaders, and generally everybody wants to do and be good, nobody really wants to be great. Being great meaning somebody willing to lay down their power and wealth and use it to fundamentally change the world for the better. Not just donating to charities or food banks (which we do need, don't get me wrong), but people with the power to halt the current zeitgeist in its tracks and help mankind get on the right course to build a future that will eventually allow humans to take to the stars and civilize galaxies. And you know who I’m talking about; billionaires with so much money they couldn’t possibly spend it all in 1000 lifetimes; religious leaders who can mutter a sentence and have their followers bend the knee the world over, and so on. These people could use their power, wealth and influence to change the world today if they wanted. It’s the type of power that can tear down economies and break down borders, because that’s the kind of power we will need if we’re going to get past this hump, this supposed Great Filter we may be facing. 

Needless to say this book series got me feeling a certain way. And like great sci-fi, great literature at that, it has stretched my mind with new ideas and a fresh new perspective. So, how will the new TV show fare with bringing these old ideas to a fresh audience? The narratives in the book can be followed easily, it’s just fleshing out the actions and motions that are carried out in between the paragraphs. Basically it’s gonna take some decent writing to punch up the political drama to keep the viewers interested. With so much covered within the books I read (and including the 2 prequels I didn’t) there’s plenty of source material, backstory, and call-back surprises to make up an epic series. We’ll get to see battling star fleets, grand palaces and far off worlds of a future civilization, and I can’t wait. 

Honestly, though, the series has it’s fans who can’t wait to see how this will come to life, and, even if the adaptation isn’t keen, will probably still tune in. I’m just not sure how the general public will receive a story like this. Potentially, this show has the backing (story and production) to become a great one, but if the audience at large finds the story too grand or the scope too big they might just drop off or not pick it up to begin with, which means it’s a wrap for an expensive series like this one. But I’ll be rooting for it when I tune in this late September. See you on Trantor! 

3 Piece and a Biscuit

 

In a last ditch effort to promote the old books before the new one drops I've created the Screw Comics! Trilogy set for sale in the store. Order all books for $25 + shipping starting today. Now you don't have to choose between this one of that one, just snatch up all 3 at the price I sell them at tabling events and shows. Do it now!

Sai Gai

Drew this the other night. Whipped it up inked and all in 20 minutes, then I colored it.

Wouldn't that be a dope mash-up? I can imagine what kinda shenanigans these two would be up to working on a mission together.

In other news, there's a Kickstarter up for a comic anthology I'm apart of entitled Strange Stories for Strange People by none other than....Dirk Strangely. He wrote the stories and 5 artists each took one on, myself included.

 

Go ahead and the click the cover, all the details are laid out for you in a nifty video, and if you scroll down further you'll see I also contributed a nifty video with my whole sales spiel. Peep it!

And there's all kinds of snips from the interior pages, so yeah, peep it!

Join the Club

Hey, 2016 here we are.

And so is this. The latest compilation of comics from Red Stylo entitled The 27 Club, which is about, you guessed it, those infamous poor souls in the Rock-n-Roll pantheon who didn't make it past 27. It's actually quite a few too, a strange coincidental phenomenon. And this compilation features stories inspired by their brief lives and extraordinary careers.
I contributed art to TWO of these stories. The first is a story about a futuristic beauty pageant based on the late bass player of the band Hole, Kristen Pfaff. If you look into her life story you'll find it ends very tragically. For the final art I also did the colors and lettering.

The second story is a "Jim Morrison: Vampire Hunter" type joint. It weaves in something more mythological and explains why his life was cut short.

The book is available in a beautiful hardcover "Rock Hard" edition as well as a regular paperback. You can also order my stories, digitally, separately HERE for Kristen Pfaff and HERE for Jim Morrison.

 

And a big muchas gracias to Enrica Jang, editor at Red Stylo, for tossing me these opportunities.

You bet there's more to come in 2016.

Gone Limp

...cuz this new zine drained me. And it can drain you too! Limp Lungs #2 is now on sale.
This limited-running unpublished-comic toting, sketchbook-rarity displaying, untold-art commission holding zine has a full color cover, and it's interior pages are made punk-style (utilizing the copy machine to reproduce and size art for layout instead of a computer).
They came out October 17th and were available at this year's Zine Fest Houston.
Now you can order online.

 

Limp Lungs #2, front and back.

 

Limp Lungs #2, stacked and fanned for added effect.

Look at the cover art:

  

Soak and Toke?

I only made 25. Get one.

Face the Gauntlet

This past Saturday I had the pressurized pleasure of being apart of the first ever Comix Gauntlet, organized by the wonderful and hard-working women who organize Zine Fest Houston. The name of the game is to complete 7 pages in 7 hours and then have them compiled, printed up and displayed that night. The idea is similar to the 24 Hour Comic event format, albeit not as long. But just as intense! The minimum page size is 9x12 but I decided to make that much more work for myself and chopped it up on 10x15. Here's a look at the end result.

7 Hours in Hell

Ironically, the comic is named for the grueling task at hand. Don't worry if you can't read it from here, I'll post scans real soon. I've been very caught up with work here at home as well as a full-time J-O-B, I really didn't give too much thought to what I was gonna draw. Even up to the very day I packed my supplies, and then my sketchbook and some other pieces I may be able to draw a quick inspiration from. As I've been organizing my original comic and art archives I been finding loads of incomplete I ideas,sketches, and sequentials that I've stashed over the years. One of them was an extra copy of a 24 Hour Comic I did waaaay back in 2007. The time came to sit down and start hashing out comics and as pulled out supplies I pulled out this comic and figured I'd do a sequel. The first comic is very weird and almost random so I decided to put these characters in a new setting set 7 years after the 24 Hour Comic book story. The rest of it wrote itself. It had to. Like the 24 Hour Comic scripts and other preparation for the day's comic was forbidden.

the continuing adventures of these guys.

 

read and see more art from "Broken Hearts are for Assholes" Here. 

And here's the ensemble cast of the 2015 Comix Gauntlet:

The names of people showcasing work, clockwise, 12 o'clock we have Alex Teich, Jason Poland, my squire Lenin Roman (came to soak up the energy and work as well even though he wasn't showcasing), Jessi Jordan, Sarah Welch, Maria-Elisa Heg, and Gabriel Martinez (who also helps with running of the venue Alabama Song), with yours truly smack dab in the center. We turned paper, ink, sweat and sheer brilliance, coffee and breakfast tacos into comics for you to enjoy.

 60 pages, only $10. Get 'em at Zine Fest Houston.

See ya at Zine Fest!

digitized

 

ANNOUNCING!

Screw Comics! has gone digital! Now read and bask in the screwed up stories and comics right on your tablet or phone. I ported them to the popular .cbz format so they work in your favorite eComic Reader, Cloud Reader or any other app that can read .cbz files. And for only 2 bux a pop. They're even formatted for Retina displays; high definition, eye (and cherry) popping action!

From here on out expect for ALL my comics to get the digi-treatment. It's a tedious process, but it looks nice. Go buy these eComics now!

https://gumroad.com/toonzday

Spare Parts

Happy Halloween! Here's a link to the 8-page comic I drew for Red Stylo for their 'Unfashioned Creatures' anthology. Basically it's an ode to the Frankenstein story. Here's the blurb from the site to give you a quick idea:
 Extreme Makeover: Resurrection Edition
If you’re going to play God, why not do it with some style? When James decides to resurrect his dead boyfriend, he takes the opportunity to make a few “improvements” on the original design.  Unfortunately, tampering with nature has consequences even James could not have predicted.

And here's a page (in BW) from the story:

 

Check out some more pages, in color, HERE

Part of compilation of comic stories order the BOOK (coming soon), for just this short in DIGITAL click HERE.

Now, the sun is setting. Time to get ready to rob these trick-or-treaters for candy!

Today

NEW zine is ready and debuts at Zine Fest today. It's 28 pages of comic snips and sketchbook oddities all assembled together in an analog format. For those that don't really think they can live without a phone or computer that means hanging around the copy machine copying, enlarging, and shrinking images and scans right outta my sketchbook. Fun shit. I guess once I started outsourcing my printing I kinda mentally ruled out the whole zine-making process. Well, yesterday I fell in love with it again. There's something about a hand-made, stapled book that's so gratifying to hold as well as seek out and own. I've made an edition of 25. Get'em while they last!

Snowkids and Dinosaurs

The third installment of the Chester series: Chester and the Dinosaurs is available now for your iPad or Kindle Fire and Android (iPad now, the rest coming soon). It features little trinkets of animation, narration by the author, and a coloring page at the end (you can save the pic you colored and share it with your friends on FB)

And currently 99 cents. Act Now! iPad * Android * Amazon

And as always, here's a selection of art from the book. Enjoy!

 

99 cents - iPad * Kindle * Amazon

Last Minute Gifts

And I mean last minute....

an eBook I illustrated!
Available for iPad, Kindle, and Android. A couple a bucks...order now!

I'll be posting images of the originals soon enuff. enjoy!
[UPDATE] Here are select pages from "Chester Finds a Friend"

 

Definitely more Chester stories on the way, and much sooner than ya think. Well! Scroll back up and DOWNLOAD Chester!