~jg3

Wondermark

Here’s another comic that I’m surprised hasn’t come up already.  It is also another comic that isn’t exclusive to the online realm.  It runs widely in several papers, including America’s finest news source, The Onion and many school papers.  It has also spawned several printed books and stuff.

It falls, broadly, into the cut-and-paste category of comic.  The interesting twist here is that David Malki ! uses 19th century engravings that he pulls from old books and stuff.   He then adds a little editing wizardry mixing them together, often with hilarous results.

Usually, however, the hilarity is just the text.

Another point that contrasts Wondermark from most of the webcomics that grace this space is that there is no continuity.  The strips are all one-shots.  That means you either laugh (or don’t) every time and then you move on.  It also means the strip is ideally suited for newspapers.

The strip has been in production since 2003, so there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a few moments at a time all day.

And I particularly love the byline “An Illustrated Jocularity.”

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ahoy-matey!

After last week’s comic, I feel like I need to demonstrate that I’m not a total pansy.

Step one, take some pirates.  Step two, some LEGO.  Step three, some simple, digital photography with word balloons.  Now mix it all together with heaping amounts of wit.  Then add more wit.  Now, get yourself a yeti, travel through time, and … you still don’t have a hook for a hand.

So The Adventures of Captain Jibidy & Pillaging Pete certainly passes the I wish I’d thought of that first test, the highest award that can be bestowed upon cleverness.  That includes, but is not limited to, being collected under the domain name ahoy-matey.com.

I’ll try not to spoil the plot lines, but the mind of Dwain Smith is a funny, funny place.  he describes it like this:  “[Cap'n] Jibidy gets kidnapped by evil scientists (and, um, Vikings). Howard the Android and Jake Venture organized a rescue party but are now also in the clutches of the evil Viking-tists. Er, Scien-kings. Whatever. Read the comic!”

This is the sort of thing that proves to me the redemptive value of the Internet.  And humanity.  Is that hyperbole?  Your comments are welcome, but you have to read the comic first.  And again, start at the beginning because if you don’t get the plot line(s) you’ll be tempted to dismiss it as fun with LEGOs.

It is also worth noting that Dwain Smith is also the force behind Eavesdrop DC, the local entry in the series of overheard catalogs.  He also wrote a book called The Junk Whisperer or, Things Tequila Taught me which you can download for free in .pdf format.

Also note that today, September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day … just like it is every year.

So, Arr to ye! Read the rest of this entry »

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Red String

This one is for all the ladies in the house.

Actually, I say that because I’m conflicted about liking this in the way I get conflicted when I enjoy a rom-com. Red String is “a romantic tale of destiny and self-discovery by Gina Biggs.”  Who is a very talented graphic novelist.  And I do enjoy Red String.

This one also differs from the other stuff in the webcomic category because it is also published as a graphic novel.  That’s a testament to Gina Biggs’ skill and the large appeal of Red String.  At least among the shōjo manga set.

So, have fun with this.  And remember: cute can be okay.

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Like a Bad Disney Movie

So, let’s start with this:  I’m not inclined to base my politics or purchasing decisions on what a famous actor might say just because they are a famous actor.

But Matt Damon, in this case, has it right.  The situation is absurd.  Sara Palin might have the requisite skill set to be a hockey mom or a small town mayor or possibly even to be governor of the 47th largest state (or maybe not).  So far in her campaign he has not demonstrated, well, anything except fashion sense, nice legs, and the capacity to follow the orders of the Republican puppet-masters.   And the McCain campaign has proven nothing but recklessness in selecting her to be the vice presidential candidate.

And the dinosaur thing, well … I’ve concluded that this is just Matt Damon being witty.  I can’t find anything that indicates Sara Palin made any kind of statement about believing that dinosaurs lived 4,000 years ago.   But if she did, I too need to know about it.

Thanks for pointing this out, Jess.

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Horizons

For mijoy

…a follow up to an earlier post

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…and I feel fine.

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake…

For those of you who are in the dark (that’s a pun), jeff has been keeping tabs on the black-hole machine known as the Large Haldron Collider being built out at CERN in Switzerland.  It goes live tomorrow for its first complete tests and you could, if you choose, be very excited or fearful of this idea.

Or you could shrug it off like a fatalist and say,  “whatever.”

A number of people have, with varying levels of seriousness and science, warned about the possibility that this thing could create a black hole that sucks us all in.  They’ve crowed about it to such an extent extent that CERN has felt compelled to publish published a LHC risk assessment (a fifteen-page .pdf, none of most of which goes well over my head) which states, in conclusion:

Having reviewed the theoretical and experimental developments since the previous safety report was published, we confirm its findings. There is no basis for any concerns about the consequences of new particles or forms of matter that could possibly be produced by the LHC.

Not concerned about the consequences of new particles or forms of matter?  So why did you just spend six billion dollars to build it in the first place?  Until proven otherwise, I’m firmly on the side of those cheering for this thing to wink out all existence in a subatomic instant.  poof.

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Bookmooch

I have a lot fewer books than I did before my last bit of moving around, but even still some of the books I’ve kept (and added to my collection) are unnecessary or are collecting dust.  The last time I paired down the collection I did so by dropping off a box of dusty books to a charity who was, I am sure, something less than enormously thrilled to have more dusy, old books.

A couple of weeks ago Bookmooch was mentioned in passing and I checked it out, intreigued.  Since then I’ve listed a couple of stacks of books and had a good chunk of those spoken for.   All I have to do is mail them out and I know (or at least I choose to believe) that they are going to someone who will appreciate them.  By sending them, I am credited with points which I can redeem by having other people send me books that I want.

At least next time I move my load will be lighter.

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I ain’t wastin’ no more time…

Update:   Driving through DuPont Circle with six people stuffed into my Mini, with heads poking out the sunroof, blasting this song and everyone singing this song at the top of his/her lungs will be one of the definitive memories of summer 2008.

This takes me back … and takes me forward.

…and makes me do this:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Cute gone bad >_<

Happy short-week Friday (Americans).

Kawaii not.  For this week’s webcomic, a series which does not include a plot or a story-line, just a bunch of independent little strips that manage to turn cute on its head every time in four panels.  And, if you haven’t guessed, kawaii means “cute” in Japanese.

The author is Meghan Murphy who can use her incredible talents to create things that aren’t punny or silly but sometimes just can’t help herself.  Some things just need to be anthropomorphised (and if you don’t believe me, think again).

So there you are; enjoy.  Not too much, though, because being that it is a short week you’ve probably still got some catching up to do.

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