Chester

Ruining the end of the world

7 August 2015

Some days you can’t even get through the apocalypse without a hassle. Amitirite?

It’s like that time when my friend Paul asked, “What do you think Bethany is doing right now?” and I was like, “Dude what do you think? Shuffling around the inside of that refrigerator truck with the blank stare of the living dead craving human flesh like 89% of the rest of the state.” and he was like, “But seriously you think she’s thinking about me?” and I was like, “Dude she’s a friggin zombie she ain’t thinking about nothing.”

It’s late. I should log off.

Just hold your head high and put that book down.

31 July 2015

Gettin’ a little crowded out at that thar apocalypse.

I read To Kill a Mockingbird back in late grade school. Even though I only read it once, it stuck with me and was the first “assigned” book I really liked. Like most kids I assumed I would not and then halfway through it took hold. So now some decades later it still has an important place in my heart.

Full disclosure: I know almost nothing about the sequel. I know what I am hearing is motivating me more to avoid it than anything else. I doubt I would have liked any sequel really. But it’s not my book – not my characters. Not my call. Still, like Catch-22, in my mind the story stopped with the first novel.

Shared apocalypse

17 July 2015

NO SHARSIES.

In other news, I suggest checking out Best WebComics. The folks there are working on creating a place where readers can find great comics and discover new ones in an easy to browse setup. Not to mention other news, articles, and interviews. Worth taking a stop over and browsing.

Point of personal impact

10 July 2015

Impact point has been waiting in the wings for a while and its time has come. At first glance it may seem like a morbidly pessimistic way to handle a bad situation, but one could argue perhaps that it is actually optimistic. A reminder that in thousands of years whatever it is will seem minuscule by comparison so why let it bother you so?

No actually that is equally bad. Never mind. The point is we all deal with stress in our own way. Or something.

I keep a small sketchbook that I write ideas in. If you do anything creative, you hear that a lot – keep a list, write it down. Believe me – do it. You will forget if you don’t. I can’t tell you how many times I open the book and see something I forgot I even wrote down. Not all are ready for use, but many, over time, will evolve into something interesting. Also the number of times I didn’t have the book, and by the time I got to it….idea was gone. Pity. Anyway – keep a book.

And the rocket’s red glare, the grills bursting in air.

2 July 2015

I was so hypnotized by the 69 Tints story line (and are we all not?) last week I nearly forgot the holiday this week. Time out for a summer day filled with explosives and outdoor eatin’.

One year a neighbor came over to me while mowing the lawn with a garbage bag. He said he worked sometimes cleaning out houses, and they had found some fireworks, and gave them to me ‘for the kids’. In the bag was a small collection of gunpowder laden cardboard of questionable legality, at least where I live. On the Fourth, after some debate, my wife and I decided that after our daughter (only one year old) went to bed, we would pick one to try and let my 3 year old son watch. I put a coffee can sized box in the alley next to our home, lit it, and went back to the driveway. Two seconds later a 30 foot column of fire was shooting into the air accompanied by ear splitting, shrieking howls. My wife and I looked at each other in alarm. My son watched wide eyed with a look of pure joy as if this was the best thing he had ever, and would ever, see in his life.

So yeah. Totally worth it.

Eggsidious

26 March 2015

A short Easter intermission from the 69 Tints saga this week. Yes, Easter has returned to fill our hearts with dread and terror. And if you don’t find anything malevolent about a six foot lagomorph that hides eggs in your house, you haven’t thought about it nearly enough baby.

Again, hero of the common merman Chester bears the brunt of my subconscious holiday anxiety. Not sure how this one came off. When I showed my wife, who gets first look before posting, the reaction was along the lines of “OH MY GOD”. I’ll go glass half full and say that was a positive. I’ll get a better idea of what the kids thought when they come out from behind the sofa.

69 Tints of Rebel Mummy Chapter 4: The Alien Way

28 February 2015

Writing badly is fun. Pretty much that’s it in a nutshell. Also again, a comic that started as a simple concept spiraled out of control. Which is good. Sometimes.

So you don’t get the eye strain and because I care, here’s the page.

CHAPTER 4
The Alien Way

SHE AWOKE AT DAWN. The sun shone through the gaping holes in the agey brickwork from the previous nights battle with the Dystopasoldierd. Felicity watched the bandage covered stranger standing in the light. The beams seemed to evoke a mysterious, paranormal twinkling from the wrappings filling her with awe.

“Thank you for saving me. I don’t remember you from the opening ceremonies of the Insomnia Challenge. Who are you?” she asked. He turned and gazed at her, his tall regal handsome rugged frame dark against the sun.

“My name is Pharaoh Phillipe Nun Photoblu and I believe together we can win the Challenge and destroy the rulers of Dystopiadome Six, returning freedom, love, and music to the people.” “But how?” she pleaded. “Our deep thoughts and emotions that none but us in the world feel make us special, but is that enough?” “Perhaps not. But…I have a secret.” he said, pausing to look at the Rebelliofire symbol on his gloves. “I…am not human. I come to your people from Saturn. Only I did not expect to find this human emotion of love.” he finished, looking at her inquisitorivaly.

“On Saturn” she said, moving closer to him, “do people express affection?” “Yes,” he began hesitantly, “but not as you earthlings know it.” “Show me” she whispered coquettishly.

He reached into his satchel. “Can you beat me into unconsciousness with this loaf of stale pumpernickel while reciting The Tay Bridge Disaster?” he breathed.

Gingerly she took the crusty bread and with a heavy

The Misfit Alien Quontology: 69 Tints of Rebel Mummy

20 February 2015

I try not to judge anyone by their taste in books or movies. My own is eclectic which I am self-aware of, and I don’t mean that in a ‘I’m a cool hipster into all the stuff no one knows about’ way. And I am ok that there are some things I hold dearly that I know are not going to be listed among the high points of culture by the futuristic alien archaeologists of 3023. Still some of the current entertainment has me at a loss. Is it me? It’s probably me. It usually is.

Two thoughts on making these inky runes. First, I really need to work on my typography. For whatever reason I do these by hand, bristol, ink, pencils…the only thing I am missing is perhaps a guttering candle and a goat hair robe. Perhaps I shall spend a day copying the phone book by hand with a quill pen in Belwe.

Also – it’s interesting how the long term story vs. one off comic alternates. After a run of one or two off  comics, I start to think ‘I haven’t done anything substantial in a while. Something to really look at the characters. I shall do that.’. Then about halfway through it becomes ‘I so desperately need to draw them doing something incomprehensibly stupid.’

We’ll see how far this story goes. I’m not even sure at this point. Is that disorganized or hapless? Maybe? Yes? Probably.

 

Valentines for that special someone

12 February 2015

Looooooooooooove…exciting and neeeeeeeeeeew. Or something.

Valentine’s Day is upon us, whether you like it or not. It may possibly be a more polarizing holiday than Christmas, evoking some intense emotions on all steps of the scale. I suspect even Eros approaches mid February with trepidation these days. But you can bet he doesn’t forget to bring home Psyche a card and box of candy, ’cause ain’t no immortal need that stress am I right?