Indie Spotlight: January 2005

[From the ridiculous to the random to the superb, a quick roundup of notable indie comics (aka, not Marvel or DC proper, though Vertigo, Icon, Image, et al, do qualify) I picked up in the past month. Release dates may vary.] Skyscrapers of the Midwest #1 (Pictures and Stories by Joshua W. Cotter; AdHouse Books, $5) qualifies as one of the oddest comic books I have ever read. On first glance, the black-and-white artwork is very "children's book," like Sanrio's preschool character Miffy drawn in shades of grey. The shotgun-loading skeleton farmer on the cover, the fake ads promoting "Healthy…

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Pumpkin Seeds: A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That Edition

1. So, this time around a Democratic Senator decided to show a little backbone as California's Barbara Boxer stepped up and joined the House's challenge of the certification of the electoral college results, specifically in regards to the issues in Ohio. Unlike in 2000 where not a single one stepped forward to support members of the Congressional Black Caucus fighting to have the voting irregularities in their mostly minority districts investigated. Not John Kerry, not John Edwards, not Bob Graham, not Joseph Lieberman, each presumably looking forward to their own challenges for the nomination. Mind you, the idea was not…

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Pumpkin Seeds: Seven Days “Post-Op” Edition

1. I really hope the idea that how you start the New Year reflects the tone the rest of it will take is way off base. 2. Trip #4 to the ER yesterday included an excruciating round of poking and prodding of the wound - literally, a pair of surgical scissors stuck up in there and opened in various spots to encourage more drainage. The doctor really wanted me to take the anesthesia this time but the memory of the burning was still too vivid so I clenched my teeth through it and almost regretted it. Almost. Pain you can…

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Review: Worldwatch #3

With Marvel not publishing a single thing of interest to me this week, I decided to throw an extra $3 towards an indie comic I'd never read before and let me preface its review with this offer: the first person I don't know personally to leave a comment here, I'll mail it to you, bagged and boarded, postage-paid, completely free of charge. Someone involved in its creation would be ideal, actually! I told someone recently that when it came to indie comics, if I didn't have something nice to say about a particular title, I simply wouldn't review it. The…

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Pumpkin Seeds: Gonzalez’s Twelve Edition

1. The difference between sanity and insanity is whether or not you do what the voices tell you. 2. If you know you're a sore loser, it's best not to answer the phone for an hour or so after your team loses the game you talked so much trash about. 3. Don't tell my wife but, I don't really hate Christmas. Beyond the obligatory, consumerist aspect of it - which I do despise - I actually like shopping for people I want to get gifts. The feeling of finding that perfect gift for someone makes the overall stress worth it.…

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Pumpkin Seeds: STFU! Edition

1. Democrats whining about the election. It's pretty clear there were various problems across the country, as there always have been, but crying foul-play after your guy limply threw in the towel and disappeared is self-flagellation at its most annoying. Screw Kerry, deal with reality and start working on fixing the system that stuck us with the two of them as a choice. 2. Elitist Blue-Staters. Enough of the "Fuck the South" and "Urban Archipelago" nonsense. I have family down south. I live in the City you all cream yourselves over. They're not all ignorant racist homophobes, and it's not…

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NaNoWriMo 2004 Update: 15,609

While technically NaNoWriMo ended yesterday, practically speaking, I fell off the wagon two weeks ago and never managed to get back on. Final word count: 15,609.

Well short of the 50,000 word goal, but an amazing leap forward for me in terms of self-discipline. For the first two weeks, at least. I take some solace in these words from the final NaNoWriMo update:

The only time we ever catch a glimpse of our creative potential is when we try something so clearly impossible that only a fool would dare attempt it.

Yep. There’s a tremendous payoff in getting in over our heads. In spending thirty days sleeping too little and writing too much, and watching, delighted, as our imaginations haul their weird and wonderful treasures into the bright light of day.

It’s a heroic endeavor whether you ended up writing 10,000 or 100,000 words, and I hope that everyone, regardless of final word-count, realizes what a brave and inspiring thing they’ve accomplished this month.

Indeed, I caught more than a glimpse, I stared it dead in the eye and…well yes, I blinked, but not before I confirmed that the only thing really standing between me and a completed novel is ME. There’s a million excuses and twice as many distractions, some of each are even legitimate, but the bottom line is that you find the time to do the things you want to do when you really want to do them. Like playing Morrowind til 1am again last night!

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