new comics day: li'l depressed boy

Yesterday was new comics day. Every Wednesday is new comics day, but I haven't been buying individual issues for a few months because of monetary concerns. That being said, there was one comic that I couldn't miss yesterday: Li'l Depressed Boy (LDB).

Now before you go off referring me to emotional counseling or something (which many have when I have received packages from the Li'l Depressed Boy website or when I read the comics in public), you need to know that this is one of the most poetic expressions of a normal life, in a normal town, involving realistic circumstances. It's a perfect expression of the journey of life and the little joys we can find to brighten what could otherwise be a pretty bleak existence.

Life often doesn't go as we plan. LDB often gets what many would call the short end of the stick. His life often sucks, but he finds solace and joy in friends, comics, and his various adventures. The narrative of his life shows us that even though life is hard, we can find things around us that will help us through.

The creators of this comic had taken a break (one and a half years to be exact) so that they could get ahead on material and release more content. Now they are back and releasing more of this wonderful comic. I was excited to get a new chapter of the story this week and was elated to find that they had published a letter I had sent to them about my story with the comic. It was one of the best new comic days ever.

banned books week

This year, Banned Book Week has celebrated comics and graphic novels that have been banned. You can read about that here and about Banned Book Week here. 

To celebrate Banned Book Week, I put together a list of graphic narratives that I have read and enjoyed. I think most people would also find joy in reading these books:

1. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
An autobiography about her childhood and young adult years in Iran during the Islamic Revolution

2. Maus - Art Spieglman
A beautiful autobiography about Spieglman interviewing his dad about the experience of being a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. It was the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. 

3. Blankets - Craig Thompson
An autobiographical coming of age story that depicts Thompson's Christian upbringing, first love and early adulthood. It's a great story about being an individual and finding your way through it's pitfalls. 

4. Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak
An imaginative children's book with only 338 words. It depicts Max dressing up, wreaking havoc in the house and being banished to his room without dinner where he imagines the place where the wild things are.

5. Watchmen - Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Though it critiques the superhero concept which is a source of imaginative escape for myself, Moore creates a brilliant reflection of contemporary anxieties. 

6. The Book of Bunny Suicides - Andy Riley
Just a funny book with no real purpose other than to provide your imagination with a diving board to cruel black humor.

7. Captain Underpants - Dav Pilkey
It's about a hypnotized adult that can change in a snap. If it wasn't for this book, I probably wouldn't enjoy reading as much as I do.

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian - Sherman Alexie (Illustrations by Ellen Forney)
A fun read about a boy growing up on an a reservation near Spokane. An insightful look into Native American culture. It's a great story of feeling outside the group and how to overcome that.


There are also others that I still need to read that I found out have been banned such as Pride of Baghdad, Sandman, and Bone.

I enjoy my banned comics and other books. If it wasn't for Captain Underpants and Harry Potter (both of which have been banned before), I wouldn't have such a huge love of reading. I would be a regular underachiever.

Books and comics help me to believe in a better world and a better me.

up to speed.

The last few months have been a blur. I'll try my best to catch you up.

My last blog post, I was going to work on a Zine and try to get other people to contribute. I've decided to do it myself because it's hard to get submissions. That's not to say that I won't take help, but I'm going to make a zine with all my own material. It will be a series of my short comics that I have been writing recently.

Now to fill in up to what I am currently doing, I need to take a moment to recognize that I haven't been on my blog for over 4 months. A lot has happened and changed in my life.

For Easter, we went on a family trip to San Diego. We got to witness an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on the deck of the USS Midway. I didn't pay much attention to what was going on because I was fascinated with the sail boats in the Harbor making their way to the deeper waters of the distant ocean.

Summer came and was beautiful. I went on so many adventures and saw many things. I went hiking and to nature to get away from everyone. I often went alone, but I was never lonely.

I went on a sweet road trip with Nathan Barnhurst. First we went to my sister's high school graduation. We then spent Memorial Day weekend in the Grand Staircase area of Utah with my dad and Rika. We did lots of hikes and enjoyed not showering. I came back from that with surfer bum hair. I shouldn't have cut it the week after that.

Early June, I took my brother Walker on a camping trip that my friend Nathan Cowlishaw organized. We backpacked to Havasupai in the Grand Canyon. There was always the sound of calm, flowing water. We saw all the major waterfalls we could around there (Navajo, Havasu, Mooney, Beaver). We had fun playing with the reservation dogs, making food on little camp stoves, and swimming in the water.

The World Cup happened. Brasil and USA didn't win. I don't want to talk about it.

I visited cool places with friends. I went to Kanaraville Falls, Cedar Breaks for sunrise, Brian Head (I buildered there), The Subway in Zion National Park, the reservoir on the hill to play beach soccer, climbing at Grave Side Matter, the Renaissance Faire, Battle Creek Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, the Castle Valley Pageant, The Wedge in the San Rafael Swell, a free Wallflowers concert, and many more. I also spent time listening to music, doing yoga, watching movies, and sharing wonderful uplifting conversations with them. 

Lots of things happened in people's lives over the summer. I had a lot of friends get married, but most notably my friend Justin Cox. I was one of his groom's men. It was good being able to see him and lots of other friends that were there too.

I also had to hear about my old friend Elder Matos who passed away. He was a good friend on the mission. He and his wife had so much love for us. I know he understood the purpose of life and was living right. He was happy.

My summer ended a little earlier in how much "vacation" I had because by the second week of August I was out here in Washington DC for a congressional internship. I'm working in Congressman Jason Chaffetz' office and having my own urban adventure.

Capitol hill is an interesting place to work. I pass the Pentagon, National Mall and Capitol Building everyday on my way to work. I take people on tours of the Capitol building. 

Since being here, I have visited lots of museums, went to Gettysburg, visited Luray Caverns, camped in the misty woods, went to an open mic poetry night, saw a free Shakespeare play, etc.

One of the big things here in DC is that I have started to draw and write more. I hadn't been working on my own creativity, but I have started to get some of my own stuff done. I went to the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland and met Lynda Barry, John Porcellino, Charles Burns, Jules Feiffer, Anne Koyama and others who made me want to keep working on my art. I got in free to the expo because I volunteered. Being a volunteer, I also got a few free things.

On that note, I am working on getting my own zine put together. I have some good content and have done some art that has stretched me as an artist and also as a story teller. It's not the best stuff, but I can't have everything perfect. The important part is that I am getting stuff done. 

I've had lots of firsts here. My first full-time desk job, first metro ride, first 9th floor apartment, etc. It's cool being surrounded by people, but I do like when I can find a time and place just for me.

That's why I love going to the roof and working on my art up there. It's nice to feel like I'm on top of the world doing something I love.

So, expect some comics and writing appearing here shortly.

zine: a collective project. an anthology.

I'm making a zine and I need all your help!

zine noun \ˈzēn\ : a small magazine that is written by people who are not professional writers and that usually has stories about a particular subject. 

This last weekend I went on a road trip. When I am driving alone or when I have time, I listen to a podcast by Dan Berry called Make It Then Tell Everybody. Dan generally interviews people who have jobs in the comics industry to help other people formulate ideas on how they can self-promote and break in to the comics world. 

Anyway, on my trip, I listened to probably 7 episodes. Each episode is about an hour and that's about how much time I spent in my car alone. I learned about nib pens, brushes, comics in academia, etc. One of the things that was reoccurring was the volume of comics creators that started by publishing their own works to sell at conventions. Many of them had only simple zines that they would sell for print costs to get their name out. 

One of the things that I want to do in my life is help other people to tell their stories. We all have them whether they are emotional poems, creative fiction pieces, or though provoking personal essays. We all use different mediums to tell our stories. Some use photography, painting, and sculpting. Others write, dance or act. My hope is that through this zine I can help people to tell those stories.  

What I'm asking right now is for everyone to submit things that I could publish on a page. Maybe we'll start a vlog-zine soon with other works to showcase dance, theatre, music, etc, but for now we are just doing print. Send me sketches, comics, paintings, photos, poems, personal essays, short stories, etc. Lengths can and should vary. Send me all the submissions you care to send. I want to get the first zine put together by the end of May. If you want to be in this one, send me your submission by May 10, with any contact info you care to include so that people can follow you on twitter, etsy, instagram, your blog or where ever else you post your creative work for people to see. You can also include a little bio. 

The theme that has come to my mind is life and living. I think I may title the zine "Live". It will be a collective of readers and artists that produce art to help each other to keep making art. It can be funny, uplifting, deep, emotional, etc. Like Neil Gaiman said, "Make good art."

To all those who we choose to be in the publication, I'll send you a copy of the zine. I am also going to try to put them in some coffee shops, book stores, and comic shops. I want people to see you story and feel the impact of your art. 

I love helping people to tell their stories. Help me tell yours.

Dream Catcher

Cerebral Vomit in notes

Graphic Poem

Splash Page

Self Portrait

career planning

So...I was online yesterday looking at the new Burberry Brit Rhythm (one of the most beautiful scents I have ever smelled. I sprayed some on myself and then asked myself on a date I liked it so much) and I realized that the cologne is way too far out of my price range. I pulled the sample paper out of my wallet (yes, I kept the department store tester paper) and smelled the cologne. I notice something on the webpage as I took a long whiff of the paper. The "Careers" link. 

It was too tempting. I clicked and registered to apply for a job. I graduate from college soon enough so why not. They had lots of manager positions open. I applied for one in Santa Catarina...Brazil. It was one of the only positions open in Brazil, so I took advantage of that.  I looked through the listings in the USA and found a Spring/Summer marketing internship in Beverly Hills. Huh, duh. I applied quickly for that one. I may not even get a call about it, but I applied for two jobs with a company that makes the best colognes (don't tell my Armanis). 

CARPE DIEM.

Why not?

If I don't try, I'll never get it. The next step is to prepare the most amazing resume to send to Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Oni Press, IDW and Image when their summer marketing internships open up for applications next month. That's what I want to do. I'm hoping for one of the small press publisher internships to come through so I can live in the Pacific Northwest, but I'm not against a Marvel East Coast internships. A summer in New York would be fun.

me: The Power of Starting Something Stupid.

 

It's Christmas and I got a new book, The Power of Starting Something Stupid by Richie Norton. I started to read it and got through the first chapter.

 

My mom knows me. I am getting close to my college graduation (I should be done by December 2014 or May 2015) and I'm starting to look forward to the next step I want to take. There are days where I let all the voices of mentors and people around me tell me that I want to go to grad school, but I don't really feel like I want to go to school for much longer. I might get my MBA from SUU because it would only take an extra year, but I even hate to think about being in school for that much longer. What I really want to do is leave school in December and start working for a small press comic publisher doing marketing and advertising as I work on writing my own graphic memoir and poetry.

 

But people tell me that's stupid.

 

That's why I'm glad for this new book. I need the "power to start something stupid". Not many people are supportive when you tell them that you want to be a cartoonist or that your dream is to work in comics. If you have passion for it, they will humor you and maybe encourage a bit, but it always seems they are biting their tongue to keep from telling you what they really feel, that they thing you're crazy, and that your idea is stupid.

 

IT IS.

 

There are so many people who want to make it in comics and movie. The market is oversaturated with cartoonists, animators, and writers. SO WHAT?! People hunger and thirst for stories and information. There is always a market for books. Even if people don't read them, they buy them.

 

Also, I am going to enter the industry from the side. I'll network and help others. Then, when I finish my graphic novel and poems, I will have the means and friends to be able to get them edited and published. In the meantime, I'll be helping people who will be able to give me tips and advice on creating and getting published as I give them advice on how to manage their social media profile and market their works.

 

So, I'm starting this book that will help me to get rid of the voices, critics, editors, mentors, etc in my head that tell me to turn back and do something smart. The dreamer, creator, poet, and cartoonist in my head is going to have free reign to do all the stupid stuff it wants to do. I'm going to go for my dreams. My mom told me the other day (for the first time since I was little), "I don't want you to limit yourself...dream big."

 

The first piece of advice from the book is:

 

 

I'm going for it. A new step it starting soon in my life. I'm going to start applying for jobs with publishers and comics. If I need to, I'll teach myself programing and coding to help artists and writers with webpages, blogs and social media profiles. If I don't get hired with a publisher out of the gate, I will independently manage social media profiles and websites as a sort of agent. I'll make it work to work in the work that I want to work. I will have a job in comics. That's what I want.

 

I'm also going to start a comic project and finish it. That is the biggest piece of advice that Craig Thompson gives to those who want to write or draw comics. Look at what he's started and finished (Blankets, Habibi, Goodbye Chunky Rice, etc). He lives to start, and I would say that consequently he lives as he gets done with a work and can look back at all he's learned.

 

I feel like this is going to be an uplifting week as I read this book, so watch for more blog posts.

 

 

 

 

escape: comic signing

 

 

The week before finals it was way too cold and I needed to escape Cedar (a feeling that is reoccurring with too much frequency. I am getting anxious to start some new things in my life aka senioritis is setting in).

 

I got in the car with my best friend Alisha Fabbi and headed toward Vegas (her boyfriend was studying too hard to hardly notice).

 

 

We went to Maximum Comics in Henderson to a Christmas Party/ comic signing. It was Daniel Freedman and Sina Grace. Sina Grace is one of my favorite artists and he draws my favorite comic Li'l Depressed Boy.

 

 

He signed all my volumes of Li'l Depressed Boy and did a piece of original work for me with Li'l Depressed Boy standing below the Giving Tree. As he signed and drew in each of my comics/worked on the piece of art for me, we talked about college and what I was studying. I had talked to him on facebook, twitter, and instagram a few days before going down to tell him that I was going to make the trip from Utah to take a break from studying for finals. When I got there, he recognized me and remembered my name (and its consequent spelling). I told him that I wanted to work marketing and advertising in comics. He and Daniel were both excited about that and told me that when I graduate they want me to help them manage their social media to get more press for their comics. I thought they were joking at first, but the more they talked about it, the more they sounded completely serious. When I got back in the car with Alisha, I fangirled for the whole ride home and then some.

  

 

Alisha was a great friend for going on the drive with me. She came along only as company and a friend. There was nothing for her in Vegas, but she came with me anyway. She is a wonderful friend. 

 

Also, things look like they will work out for me to have a job in comics somehow.