Halloween 2009: Go Away Now

I really can’t be arsed with Halloween this year. I don’t want to dress up. I don’t want to give strangers chocolate. I don’t want to do anything that doesn’t involve playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

Whatever the “bah! Humbug!” version of Halloween is – then it’s me this year…which is a far cry from when I spent the day dressed as a superhero sidekick.

What is particularly getting my goat is the sheer lack of imagination that goes into costumes available from big brand shops. They shouldn’t be allowed to sell a costume if you could think of it yourself. I want to walk into a shop and think “WOW! I can’t believe they have a Ninja Panda Pirate costume!” and then I want to think “WOW! I can’t believe I didn’t think of dressing up as a Ninja Panda Pirate this year!”

Instead, the Halloween costumes seem to be mostly the following:

Seriously lame. If I’m ever in charge of the world then I will make a law that makes boring Halloween costumes illegal. No more Slutty Cats! Not for you!

Ugh. Whatever. Don’t listen to me. I’m in a mood.

TWx

EXCITING NOTE: This is my 100th blogpost. About two people seem to read this blog but that's two more than none. WOO HOO!!!

Don't Stop Believin'

This is amazing and wrong and brilliant and terrifying. I couldn't find a video clip that could be embedded so this creepy static-picture version will have to do:

Lady Gaga versus The Fame Monster

Lady Gaga is repackaging her album with a bonus disc. The first release from it is both brilliant and terrible.

To celebrate, here is a comic about Ms Gaga herself.

FUN FACT: She doesn't have a nose in this comic because I couldn't remember if she usually had one. Says a lot about my drawing prowess, eh?

ANOTHER FUN FACT: I am obliged to dedicate this comic to Juan.

YET ANOTHER FUN FACT: The next blog entry will possibly be an appeal... Prepare yourself!

MCM Expo - A Very Long Blog

I should start off by saying that this has been one of the most draining months that I’ve endured for quite some time. This weekend was the pinnacle of it all and therefore pretty gruelling…but in a good (and slightly weird) way.

That’s because this weekend was the MCM Expo!

I’ve done a few events in my time but they’ve all been pretty low-key – a craft fayre here, a small press thing there. The UK Web and Comix Thing is probably as big as I get. So the Expo was a real eye opener. Talk about baptism by fire…and then talk about a bumload of cosplaying, Para Para dancing and hugging. Free hugging. Instigated by signs. Between strangers. Strangers that hug. For free...

So, I took the usual suitcase full of stuff to the event: comics, comics, comics. However, I tried some new and exciting stuff this time! For a start, all the printing was done by the Fallen Angel Media people, which meant that things looked pretty fancy and I had some thermal bound volumes as well as the regular stuff. I also made up packs of badges which were cute. There were felt owls too! And – the biggest leap for me – acrylic brooches! Also - People I Know #9!!!

So the last month/six months have seen me spend all my free time making some sort of item to sell. Obviously, nothing came together until hours before the event. They comics and badges arrived about 12 hours before I had to be there!

The ExCel Centre is huge and in the middle of nowhere. I don’t really know many people in the comic scene but I was lucky enough to bump into Howard on the DLR so I wasn’t too nervous – just sleepy since it was early on a Saturday morning and I’d been up late. I had to get about four (4!) different trains to get to the ExCel Centre and there were cosplayers on each and everyone of them. This should have made me immune to getting slack-jawed about it all later but oh no! I spent most of the weekend gawping at all sorts of ninjas, furries and zombie schoolgirls…

NOTE: Spotify is playing me an advert for the Conservative Party!?!

So yes. Cosplaying. Wow. I’ve never been in such a high concentration of lycra and swords in all my life. There were some incredible outfits – an eight foot ogre, an army of stormtroopers, Link from the Legend of Zelda! Siryn from X-Factor! A nice guy named Sam who wasn’t in costume but I’m putting him in anyway. I think my dream as a maker-of-comics is that one day I will go to an event and see someone cosplaying one of my characters. That would be awesome (and a little spooky). Imagine a room full of tearful dinosaurs, ninja toast and an inky squid schoolgirl!

Obviously some of the costumes were of people I didn’t know (Axis Powers Hetalia?) but seemed fun. Some were a little spooky. Some…well…wow…I would never have the courage to go anywhere as Slave Girl Princess Leia. But still, the effort that people put in was amazing. Special mention to the boy/girl Where’s Wallys. Good work guys! Oh and Cat Mage too!

BUT! There were quite a lot of costumes I was expecting to see and I saw NONE OF THEM! Why was this? Where were they? Here is a list of what I should have seen in picture form. If you were there and saw one of these costumes then let me know. Better yet – if you have a picture then I will give you a prize!

EDIT: Please add the following to the list:
Vampires
Werewolves
Ghosts
Greek myths

NOTE: I saw a Star Trek Furry – as in a furry wearing a Star Trek uniform. I texted my friend:

ME: Just saw a Star Trek furry…

FRIEND: Do you mean a Tribble?

ME: No. A fox in uniform

So yeah. The people were nice. I tried to convince the nicest ones to send me nice emails. Fingers crossed. Speaking of nice people – Howard and Philip were also selling things there. I was sat behind two girls who also turned out to be nice. One was called Lizz and one was called Bryony. Oh – and there was Fran next to me! Those girls were lovely. Thanks lovely girls!

What else?

Behind the Comic Village there was a stage with Japanese drumming and some Para Para dancing. I had my back to the whole thing but I could certainly hear it. Ouch and also wow. Wouch?

Also, on Saturday evening I went to a leaving party for a friend who is moving to San Francisco with his wife. I hope he has a nice time.

I’m really tired now and I need some sleep. I’m sure there are other things to write about…but I can do it tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone that came to talk to me and to everyone that organized the event. Here’s hoping that People I Know starts going places…

Stay out of trouble

TWx

EDIT: I just got this photo from the girl portion of boy/girl Where's Wally. It is amazing! All the kudos goes to them for making something so brilliant

MCM Expo: Here I come!

So...for the last month and a bit, I've spent pretty much *all* my free time making things for a stall at the MCM Expo - which is this weekend! I'm officially nervous (and a bit sleepy) since I haven't been to anything on this scale before. Urnk! Plus, I've got all sorts of new things to sell. You should come along and check them all out. There will be:

- the brand new issue of People I Know

- felt owl pals

- badge packs

- ghostly pictures

- acrylic brooches

- teeny comics of tears

- stickers!

There should be more stuff...but I can't think what. Bleh. It's late. I'm tired and I need to be on a 7am train tomorrow to set up and things. Boo hoo. But yeah - come along and say hi. I'll be in the Comics Village surrounded by much more talented people than me...

Stay out of trouble

TWx

Boo hoo!

Hello

I try not to talk about my proper job in case someone reads it and I get told off...but tomorrow is my friend's last day in the office before he goes adventuring. I am sad about this for a number of reasons...but I got a funny cartoon out of it...so in your face! I even put my name at the bottom so I could print it out and give him a copy and he'd remember me.

FUN FACT: I had a lot of trouble trying to find a funny end insult that was inoffensive. I had to reject "turd weasel" and "cum dumpster" in case anyone got upset.

UPSETTING FACT: I had a weird out whilst pencilling in my initial grid. So, instead of all the panels being the same size, I drew slightly diagonal lines instead of vertical ones. I think they're about 5mm out. So if it looks a little skew-whiff then don't panic (like I did) - your eyes aren't about to explode - it's just my poor measuring. I suck.

Bye work guy! I will miss you!

TWx

PS. MCM Expo this weekend. Am relying on badges and comics arriving by Friday. URNK!

SECRET PROJECT: Piney Gir Artwork

Hello

So I took the afternoon off work and the majority of my plans went hideously wrong...except that I got my hands on the CD that I did the artwork for! HOORAY!

Say hello to the latest CD single by Piney Gir - the song is called "Say I'm Sorry."

Here is a rubbish picture from my fancy phone:

I had a pretty tough time making them because the printing people needed fancy files and had templates and things - none of which I'm that up on. However, it came out right. Seriously - it's on fancy paper and there's a real case and it has a CD inside and my pictures are all over it. Also, it is officially the first big project undertaken on Mister Computer. Well done Mister Computer!

The theme was "cheerleaders on rockets."

FUN FACT: There is no purple in the pictures.

TRUE FACT: I don't know when it'll be up on iTunes or anything but you could probably get a copy by emailing Piney herself. Or email me! I have some! Speaking of me - it's bed time.

Stay out of trouble
TWx

Banner-tastic

Ahoy there!

So I spent most of today making lots of banners for what will hopefully become my new website. HOORAY!

Here is my favourite. At the moment, everything I do is drawn by (my possibly RSI-afflicted) hand and I wanted to see whether I could make something look more like a proper fancy vector graphic thing. I reckon I did a good job. Once the MCM Expo is all sorted then I'll start learning how to do it all properly.

Also - I ate a burger and left the house. That was a pretty big deal. I appear to be unable to locate the spell checker. Uh oh...

Are you well?

TWx

Lady Gaga: I'm Gonna Smooch You!

I am sleepy and over emotional. My dinner was mostly beans on toast and some biscuits. I made some test pictures for a new project. Here is the first reject...although I've used some of the elements for one that made the grade. So this is more of like...the...uh...precursor to success.

Got new felt for some toys. Had a mental block when trying to buy new needles for my sewing machine. Have resolved to have at least three hours of fun, non-crafting time on Saturday. Have also resolved to going to bed soon.

Tally ho
TWx

Note To Self:

Yeah. Stop being such a massive turd!


If you find yourself being a massive turd then print out a copy of this and stick it to your computer/television/loved on.

Also, stop being such a massive turd.

People I Know #9 - IN YOUR FACE!

YEAH! I'm pretty sure that I've finished everything I need to do for the MCM Expo in terms of comics! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! not only that, but the cover for PIK #9 has just been finished - there's a version here for you to peep at - and this is my 90th blog entry.

Next up: a bumload of sewing. Also, some ice cream

TWx

Christina + PIK #9

I was meant to do the cover for PIK #9 this evening but I bought comics with a friend and was in a stupid mood instead. Result.

To make up for it I completed the back covers for some other stuff instead. Here is a picture of Christina taken from one of them. She's pretty much the star of the new comic in case you were curious.

To bed! For sulking!
TWx

UPDATE: I am going to listen to that Taylor Swift song about being a girl and wearing glasses. That will help!

UPDATE: It didn't help. U_U