It's con season. I'd love to attend more comics and anime conventions...AXE, Comic-con, the like

But I'm afraid I'm a WEE bit camera shy.

Not exactly a fan of walking around convention halls that are filled with 400 different cameras that broadcast all con activity to 500 different online podcasts and video sites that offer obsessive coverage. I just can't seem to find a thing to wear...other than all black. Smile for the hundreds of cameras!!

I went to Megacon in the 90s once, but video technology hadn't caught up to comics and anime back then.

My how things change...

Do guys even still bother to read manga nowadays in bookstores...

Or is it all girls now? That strikes me as a little odd. The gender politics of Japanese comics imported to America.

Why I hate 90% of mainstream entertainment..."YOU'RE A DUMBASS"

Most of these showbiz folks are the dumbest sons of bitches in the world. And yet by some evil act of misdirected perception on the public's behalf, society equates sales and profitability with intelligence and profundity. It's the biggest system of bullshit I've ever seen: The Entertainment Industry.

Sell one platinum record, create one hit TV show or movie (in other words LUCK OUT and GET LUCKY through no real intelligence or ingenuity of your own in reality)...in other words, "BECOME POPULAR" (which is what it really boils down to), and the majority of society is dumb enough to mistake you for Einstein or a fucking Nobel Prize Winner, or some other person who actually thinks about things.

Fucking pisses me off to no end, that society is gullible enough to buy into this bullshit, just becuase people make fraudulant propaganda for it (or as some call it, the "news and PR industry"). Dumb is still dumb. And most people are dumb enough to swallow the shit the media tries to shove down the world's throat. Popularity is not intelligence. Popularity is the ignorance to buy into your own bullshit hype. Fucking hate it!!!

It's okay artist-type person. Just leave Japanimation to the Japanese

Technically what I draw isn't really anime. I used to think it was, because like the Japanese, I make the effort to make my concept designs cinematic, and I come from an engineering standpoint.

I don't really see my artwork as anime anymore. I've never taken things like big eyes or squeaky voices, or chibi, for that matter, seriously. Honestly, I'd rather draw from Dr. Suess than any of that cliche stereotypical anime crap. Why would I draw from that when there are things like Akira and Ghost in the Shell out there?

It's really closer to science-fantasy and neo-goth than Japanese. The Japanese don't really do gothic for the most part, black trenchcoats and all that. They kind of turn their noses up at the bleak, dark, and macabre, from what I've seen online mostly. They shy away from portraying dark and gothic things, with rare exceptions. Oh well, more for me.

"Most Influential" Lists, and other Bullshit

People who write those “Most Influential People” lists really expect people to believe THEY’RE the most influential list, when one of the most influential people of all (yours truly) isn’t even on that list? What a crock of shit.

Speaking of Rat's Nests: What's The Deal With That????

That one "rat's nest geek" scalp is the color black, and it has pieces of garbage I threw away last Friday in it. And yet his eye brow color just above his BUDDY HOLLY GLASSES is BROWN. WHAT'S THE DEAL with that!? I wonder if it hurts ungluing the wig from his scalp after they're done filming.

Hmmmm. I WONDER. Nah. Must be ah coincidence. Funny.

How'd I make my MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars, 3 houses, and 20 manservents while not giving YOU ANY OF IT??

Well, wouldn't you like to know.

HINT: The Secret is in my Hairstylist....The hair is the secret to ALL OF YOUR SUCCESS. Right Yohann??

Peace Out, Homies

Word.

AMVs and Webcomics: The Current State of Independent and Alternative Anime/Animation and Comics/Manga....

There's still plenty of alternative and underground animation and comics titles. Underground comics and animation is far from selling out and is produced by underground engineers who usually go by funky aliases on the internet. A lot of it's on the web.

Indie comics are: Webcomics on various webcomics and webmanga sites like Smack Jeeves, and DeviantART.

Underground animation is homemade bootleg and pirated anime websites (YouTube, Veoh), and DIY DVDs people like me make, and do share with friends and family, but don't really sell for the most part. Some people sell them, but many don't.

There's also online streaming Anime Openings and AMVs/MADs (anime music videos).

Good stuff, good stuff. Don't be hatin'. Hip-Hop kind of took off in a similar way.

In the next world war
In a jackknifed juggernaut
I am born again

In the neon sign
Scrolling up and down
I am born again

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

In a deep deep sleep of the innocent
I am born again

In a fast german car
I'm amazed that I survived
An airbag saved my life

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

--"Airbag"

Radiohead

OK Computer

Businessness

Haven't been on the web as much lately, though I do love being on the web most of the time.

Been a tad bit busy with the whole "writing" thing. Finished my first real script today. It's formatted and whatnot. I'm in the process of revising and rewriting, but as far as format goes, I pretty much got Version 1.0 of my shit together now. Which is a relief. Fortunately I finally got one element of my arsenal working or up and running.

-JM

The Tactician: Why Barack Obama is a Good President

He’s a master strategist and efficient speaker, a communicator. He knows what to say, and what not to say. He knows when to move, and when not to move. He knows when to speak, and when not to speak. His trademark sense of superior strategic timing and rhythm is the best I’ve ever seen in a president in my entire life. He has power, but unlike many presidents with power, he’s also a good decision maker. The man knows how to run a country. He doesn’t just have intelligence. He knows how to apply that intelligence, even under pressure.

Internet Favorites List: Best and Worst...Who's got their shit together....

Most Defective Website I've Encountered (counting the most amount of times the website acted fucking weird)?

Yahoo of course.

LEAST Defective Website With Fewest Amount of incindents involving hacking, slow loading time, bugs, or glitches, where the website just works well, loads fast and is genuinely hassle free?

YouTube! YouTube is the perfect website! The site hardly ever gets any real noticeable bugs for me.

I'm With [Bang Zoom!] by J.M. de la Strebler

My relationship with Bang Zoom Entertainment. You know, I know to some in the know in anime, it is a point of fascination to some in the otaku community. A small group of people are sort of AWARE of it, or at least it seems that way, so I may as well write about said topic. I still do like Bang Zoom! Entertainment and AnimeTV. I don't DIS-like them. I never have disliked them. Why would I? They've never really been mean to me, so I have no grudges. But an email every once in a while out of courtesy would be nice. But then again, maybe the fact that I "officially contributed" to certain episodes of AnimeTV and have the whole "guilty by association fame" thing going on should be satsifaction enough. Still, I miss contacting them openly, like it happened when I first started writing reviews for them.

I guess the thing was, I was never really sure exactly how close they DID consider me, if at all, if ever, particularly now. The producers emailed me in the beginning regarding the show, but I do kind of miss that time of my life, around 2007. Though that was an awkard time for me in some ways, what with my first TV experience working from home, I'm not going to lie. I've ALWAYS idolized many of the people they employ, and many of the shows they worked on. I've always liked what they've done in the dubbing world. They've dubbed half of the titles in my private DVD collection. I'd still like to work with them on something in the future and I hope they keep me on file, even if it's just for a mailing list. I like being on mailing lists. They took a lot of heat for doing a live action show, I'm well aware of that, and I probably didn't help in that regard. I acknowledge that much. But that doesn't change their actual anime track record. Who cares if they threaten to stop dubbing. As long as I still see them working on SOME kind of good production (hopefully anime related) I'll always be loyal to them, even if they don't email me anymore. It's still been a lotta fun.

Ahhh. My Great Collection of Old, Incredibly Weird Comics (I’ve own 100s of these! I'm addicted to collecting cool and weird comics/animation things)

HECTIC PLANET

ISSUE 6

This is an image of one of my favorite classic indie comics. Take Hectic Planet for example: It’s probably the first Evan Dorkin comic book I ever bought

You see, there’s a story behind this. Before I was an unhealthy internet recluse. I was a slacker comic shop denizen. I used to love going to the comic book shop, back when there actually were some around where I lived. I would go to my local comics shop, on average, at least one or two times a week, when I wasn’t going to school, and I’d just accumulate a huge collections of very cool, very weird, very obscure comic books. I love comic books. Now there aren’t any so I mostly just hit up Amazon and the internet for my tradepaperback and indie webcomics fix. Plus at one point I sort of forgot about comics, or at least, collecting and buying them anyway. I had every cool indie comic in the early 2000s and 90s from Johnny the Homicidal Maniac to Spawn to Bone to Blue Monday. I’ve always had this comics philosophy that the best comics are the ones you haven’t heard of. And I still believe that. And recently I dug up my classic collection of comic collection boxes that had been sitting there collecting dust for a decade. Brings back so many positive memories. I learned everything I know about production, costume, and character design from that comic book collection.

-JM

[alternative name to this post: "And then there's all the hundreds of obscure and awesome weird comics that DIDN'T make it onto Wikipedia"]

Caetextia: Drawing With the Right Brain, Writing With the Left

Caetexia more than 60% of the time essential makes it possible for a  person to have access to both sides of their brain with equal efficiency and ability. If a person with caetextia is creative, and pursues creative hobbies or jobs, as I have, they'll not only be able to draw (right brain), but also write (left brain). This is rare, even among artists and writers: The ability to do both with equal efficiency and productivity. I'm still waiting for someone to write a book about caetextia as it relates to the creative process of drawing and writing, and how it can make a creative person more versatile. Because it definitely can.

"Respect Knuckles"

Actually now that I think about it, I'm not exactly the kind of guy online and on TV that "commands respect". Actually it's almost always the opposite. I attract the opposite of respect: Hatred, animosity, skepticism, uncertainty, mistrust, and DISrespect from most people. Especially from people who don't like ME in particular. I wish I had some of their reactions on video. Some scary shit, their verbal-facial reactions.

That's just how it is. By now I'm quite accustomed to this kind of reaction and effect I have on other people. Certainly doesn't stop me from getting work done on my own name's behalf. My innovation is at odds with the status quo of the times on many levels. Particularly the way I look to strangers who see me in person who don't know who I am. That's pretty much everyone I meet, nowadays...

Retirement?

I'm considering retiring, from art more than anything else. Just thought I'd say that. Drawing well is too hard. So no more of that, perhaps.

Secrets of Hollywood: It's all about perception. "Looks Matter"

What you look like in L.A. and Hollywood, and your stature, as seen by the people with the power will always affect whether you're hired and have a continuing career or not.

Frankly, the guy who LOOKS LIKE a director/producer/writer is 20 times more likely than the guy who doesn't. 70% of the time, actually getting the part does involve "Looking the part", no matter how much actors rail against type casting. Doesn't matter. Hollywood CARES about how it looks

In Los Angeles and Hollywood, it's ALL about keeping up with appearances. I don't just write. I LOOK like a writer.

Gray hair

I'm starting to see some gray hairs grow in on my scalp. Not a lot, but a few. Doesn't really bother me. I don't really fear the aging process like some people do...

Proper Beard Maintenance

Proper beard maintenance at the age of 27 begins at home.