That's right, it's Thursday already and the first of the presidential "debates" will be held. I say "debate" in sarcasm quotes because the White House has had it's terms met, and there will be no actual back and forth interaction between the candidates. The broadcast will also be handled by FOX News. What can I add to that? So it'll be more like a shared political ad. Many of you like to start your weekend early and might miss it, so here's a snippet of how it will go, with the candidates asserting their positions on Iraq and the War on Terror.



Our presence in Iraq is a cornerstone in the War on Terror, and we have to plow into it full speed, leaving only rubble in our path! Ramming the terrorists is the only way to send the message that We Mean Business! This war can be won, and once we win it, then we can turn our focus onto domestic problems-- like that Irritating Insect SPIDERMAN!!!













My opponent may think the War on Terror can be fought with a blunt instrument, but that's delusional. The only way to take out the terrorists is by carefully striking them one by one! Only when they know the venomous sting of America will our home be safe again. THEN we can deal with education, the deficit, and that WEASELY WEBHEAD SPIDERMAN!!!

Well I'll be, Parts Unknown has a website now, and as usual I'm last to know. All the info for that Greensboro show is on there. And I see CASEY JONES is going to be at the show now that he lives back up in Virginny again. Congrats to Casey and the family for MOVING OUT OF FLORIDA right before all the weather curses kicked in! The Joneses are smart folk...

I should have mentioned this sooner, but there's a new PARTS UNKNOWN show this Saturday and Sunday, Oct 2nd-3rd at the Four Seasons Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. I wish I could go because the guest of honor is the legendary

ANGELO TORRES

of Mad Magazine fame, but many of us love his EC COMICS work most. And the special guest from the west coast is

WILLIAM STOUT

who's probably coming out because Angelo will be there. He's the king of Dinosaurs, and amateur paleontologist. The rest of the guest list are heavy hitters but I don't have to explain them because they're my friends and will understand...

George Pratt--Scott Hampton--Tommy Lee Edwards--John Van Fleet--Randy Green--Rick Ketcham--Kelly Yates-- and others I don't know about. These shows are put on by retailer John Hitchcock who is responsible for some of the most legendary comics shows hosted in the South over the years. If you're within two states, I'd go-- you'll get more quality time with great artists than you can imagine. Even odds that Durhamite Mike Wieringo will be there too, though my flyer I got months ago doesn't say. It's only 5 bucks, now go, go, GO!!!

Back to Pat's photo gallery one more time for a costume I think is really good--- KINGPIN.


Of course, I don't know how useful it is for that guy to look like Kingpin in his everyday life, but in this context he rules supreme. Even with Oddjob over there trying to horn in on the action. This reminded me of the Lee/Romita Spiderman stories where Kingpin can't stop talking about how everyone underestimates his physicality because he looks fat-- when it's really mostly MUSCLE! It's great exposition, I'll scan in a panel if I ever remember how to get my computer to recognize my scanner again.

Again, hats off (though not Oddjob's derby of death) to Pat Sun for getting these great pics, like J. Jonah would want.

I haven't been back to DragonCon in Atlanta in years, but Patrick Sun's Dragoncon Webpage makes me want to return. It is the pinnacle of shows for costumes, after all, so get a good look at that gallery. Here's a few I enjoyed. Someone ought to pay Pat for this...

I'm still going to write a Baltimore report, though we didn't take any pictures. Maybe I'll snag the pictures of others. Here's Batman chokeholding Killer Croc that I drew while there in my friend Lambert Sheng's sketchbook. And it's being hosted in Steven Gettis' website so I can take a break from overusage charges, thanks Gettis!


Ah heck, I could've used that in my con report. Happy weekend everybody.

I'm trying to clear out a little webspace and purge images I don't need anymore, but I keep finding little gems I can't part with. Like this promo from Daddy Daycare with all the kids gang-raping Eddie Murphy. I mean, just look at Eddie's face. Go kids!



You may be subjected to a few more of these as my webcleaning continues, I 'pologize in advance.

Lotsa catching up to do. Like for instance, that Comic Art Battle in which Team Alternative thrashed us, Team Mainstream, like wicked children. I don't really need to decribe it, because Mote Magazine did an excellent job of reporting so that all of Canada knows about it. And there are even more pictures over at the Mercury Studio blog so you can get a better grasp of the violence and carnage. See how I was overpowered by those ruffians of Team Alternative as Nicole George tore my shoe bodily from me. See the intense workgaze of David Hahn, and Drew Johnson do his best Brando "Stella!" yell. Watch Lieber go into full "heel" mode for the crowd.
By now I believe the organizer, cartoonist Ezra Claytan Daniels has settled into his new home of Chicago. We artists of Portland wish him well in toughguy city, and encourage you to check out his dope website Dream Chocolate.

Next year!

Guess I'll keep bringing my bike up the elevator into the office since u-bolt locks from Kryptonite can only be opened with either the provided key, or a common Bic pen. Watch one of the many short movies on the web and then run out to the street to slap an anchor chain on your cycle.

Via author Sara Ryan's blog, I just saw this awesome collection of senior photos. Maybe you've all seen this already because you've been on the web, but I'm just now enjoying it. Yeah, I wouldn't go back.

That's right, I'm BACK ONLINE. And this time with a fat cable connection to the internet, for a fatter presence on the web. People have left the blogosphere in droves (well, mine at least), but I'm going to start adding content like crazy until I get 'em all back.

In the meantime, I've also formed an unholy alliance with Portland-basedMercury Studio, and it's bumped my output up somethin' powerful. In fact, I may also be posting over there if blogmaster Lieber grants me access. This will hopefully make the other members want to do the same and get more voices heard.

Despite barely being online these past weeks, I've managed to exceed my bandwidth several times with my webhoster. Until I can afford to upgrade my service, if anyone has some space I can use to hold a few images for a while, I'll draw ya something. I mean, I don't want to be like one of these guys I see downtown always coming up to me saying "I just need to FTP a couple pictures for my blog man, come on, I'm a veteran," I want to earn it.

You have been notified, start checking in again please.

Hey East Coasters and near-Midwesters, Lieber and I will be at the BALTIMORE COMICON this weekend, so you have to come out. You have to come out anyway just to see what curse will haunt the show this year. Will it be a new Beltway Sniper or a hurricane (more likely)? I've been wanting to do this show for years-- it's put on by Marc Nathan, the courageous retailer who put all those 9-cent Fantastic Four comics in the local newspaper a couple of years ago. And there'll be a convention report, 'course.

By the way, I'm still not really on the internet. I can't get DSL at the new house, so I'm waiting for COMCAST to squeeze me into their busy schedule this weekend-- wait, I'll be in Baltimore! Well, Allie knows how to open the door and let cable installers in. Then I will single-handedly stop this exodus of the blogosphere that's been going on.

Thanks for still checking in to see zilch, I should be back providing useless content next week. In addition to my computer foibles, we moved across town, so I've been lugging furniture and cleaning. Took that G4 back, the harddrive was rotten (Quantums...) And if'n I get cable internet, I should be even faster than before! Thanks for your patience.