FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAK July 25, 2003

I've got the deadline fever beginning to stir in my soul.

I think I did some sensational work revising my analysis of the Outdoor marketing media in the essay I'm doing for Comics Buyer's Guide. I gotta earn my pro status somehow with all these conventions lurking about, because I'm pretty sure that my Deposit Man series isn't earning me any frequent flier miles even as we speak. Anyway, I took all my notes and sat down and constructed a first draft of what the article would look like and I truly wish I could HALF ASS it here but I run that risk of not being paid for it if it were to run in another form and there could be those pesky internet pirates roaming around looking to plunder anything that moves. But I'm happy with what I have so far- all I have left to do some is interview questions either by e-mail and in person at some comic book retail stores and I'll be sending this off to beddy bye soon enough.

Speaking of internet piracy, I read with great interest that Harlan Ellison was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal concerning his second round on taking AOL on in a lawsuit involving the illegal download of several of his stories online. I'm personally rooting for the guy- but if my company of whom I work for were to find out that I actually contributed to his legal defense- I'd be up shit creek in a typhoon for breach of ethics- but I think I contributed long before I was 'offically' hired- but I had still had ties to the company when I was simply 'contracting' for them. I marvel at the fact that Harlan reports in the last paragrah that due to the length of this legal battle, that he has no more than $1000.00 in his bank account. I should call to ask him to try being me once in a while. I've been struggling to keep a grand in my bank account for as long as I could learn to walk. And all Harlan is asking the court for is the reimbursement of all his legal fees and to repay back those who contributed plus an extra $20.00. But I'm not going to wait up at night to turn my lungs blue to get my $60.00 back anytime soon. In fact, if Harlan does decide to refund my money, I will simply turn it down. Eventually that day will come soon enough when everyone's literary works will be downloaded illegally, just the same as musicans are constantly losing royalty sales to Napster or somesuch.

Shit, it's going to be a another weekend of conflicts. Local Sherman Oaks resident Geoff Johns is his DC Comic books signing at Earth - 2 tomorrow. The new MTA Gold Line going from Los Angeles to Pasadena opens this weekend. Free rides and street fairs will be at every station. The LA Comic Book and Sci-fi Shrine Auditorium show is this Sunday, and two new movies I want to see; Seabiscuit and Tomb Raider open up today. Plus I gotta a shitload of cartoons on DVD and video to catch up on.

Like I've said once before, it not easy being me when I got so much material possession to plunder for myself.

~

Coat

FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAK July 24, 2003

I'm about ready to get back in the grind - of getting back into the groove of a rigorous writing schedule. As I stated before, I've got approval for a writing assignment for Comics Buyer's Guide detailing outdoor marketing, but on top of that I want to send out submissions to DC Comics about an idea for a Batman Black & White story and I see on the Dark Horse site that Mike Richardson is now going on a big submission spree to look for a whole new line of books. I think if I tone down the profanity and sexual innuenendos, I could be a shoo-in. I'm good friends with a world reknown editor, and I could probalby woo my way into her good graces. She has already told me at several conventions that my Deposit Man book has potential if it were to be marketed properly.

I've been getting back into the grind of checking out all my usual website haunts. I spent most of last night reading message boards on what people thought of the new forthcoming Batman DTV feature: The Mystery of the Batwoman. Most word of mouth has been positive but they're equally balanced with a lot of complaints that Paul Williams did not reprise his voice as the Penguin. Word towards who the identity of the Batwoman really is is being kept mum, which is good for me since I didn't stick around to find out, although I already have a sneaking suspicion of who she is.

Cartoons in the summertime- there's nothing better in life than seeing new cartoons especially on these sweltering nights. I've got a co-worker helping me not feel left out on all the cable cel and CGI delights hitting the tube. So I look forward to Saturday mornings with a six hour tape of new Ren & Stimpy cartoons, Gary the Rat, and the magnificent looking Stripperella (directed by Kevin Alterai (?) shit, I don't know how to spell his name and I was hanging with him and Rafael Navvaro last Saturday night in SD). The not so great MTV Spider-Man that reminds me of animatics gone wild and the new TEEN TITANS, of which I eagerly await to see. I also have new episodes of X-Men: Evolution to look forward come next month.

I love my fuckin' cartoons.

~

Coat

NOTE OF NON IMPORTANCE-

I'm making changes, because I'm sick of looking at my stuff being posted at half a page. I gotta somehow find another purple template or else I'm going to have to change this blog's name to Blueberry Muffin Pinup Guru Platform- and that's certainly not as catchy as Purple Pinup Guru Platform.

~

Coat

FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAK July 23, 2003

Other ruminations concerning San Diego:

It seems that everytime The San Diego Comic Con International convention takes place, something disasterous always happens in the news. Last year, somewhere in Lancaster, Ca, two teenage girls got kidnapped by some horny illegal aliens while they clubbed and tied up their boyfriends. Now this year, a eighty-six year old man in Santa Monica guns the accelerator and extinguishes the lives of ten people including two babies at a Farmer's Market. I'm sure everyone has been seen it all over the news. Kinda surreal, when you get down to it- having have to go to Santa Monica to discuss Deposit Man business every once in a while. What is my feeling towards what transpired as I was busy packing for my four and a half day weekend? I didn't get a lot of the story as it was getting coverage on all the local television stations- in fact I had to call people to get more information. Nobody knew what the heck was going on- it was instant pandemonium as people immediately jumped to the conclusion thinking that it was the work of a terrorist. Even as I got into San Diego late that Wednesday night, all the talk shows I could pick were all nigh on the verbal attack that an eighty-six year old Allah praising terrorist was in our midst causing a another anti- American ruckus.

My gut reaction was that it was just one of those things- an accident. To sit through traffic in Santa Monica is an horrendous experience. I've been on enough Blue Buses on the way to Venice Beach to relate- and maybe in frustration of imitating a pigeon shit stained stone statue could make anyone from the age of three to a hundred and three snap- and he could've slammed down on the gas instead of the brake and just took off without realizing too late that he made the wrong decision and those who were simply in his way were those of natural selection. Just that, no rhyme, no reason. Shit happens when one is not looking over one's shoulder. We all are capable of being caught off-guard.

I remember when I took on a job of delivering flowers down in SD while living there and was livid with the memory of panic when I couldn't control the gear shift on a small truck and when I tried to stop at a red light on a steep hill- holy shit- it was a good thing I had a training instructor accompanying me or life would have been a shit sandwich with two much bread jammed in between for me.

~

Coat

FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAKJuly 22,2003

Back after a long absence attending San Diego.

Not much of a convention for me this year, since I was busy working the Mother Grim booth. I was sandwiched inbetween soft core Marvel Comics girl artist Greg Horn who provides eye catching cleavage covers of both Elecktra and the White Queen and Steve 'the Dude' Rude of which sadly I didn't get the chance of buying anything from either of them. My friend, Erica Grant who poses as her comic book character, Mother Grim was doing phenominal sales with her varied assortment of photos, t-shirts, trading cards, and comic books. People from all corners of the convention floor were stopping by to take pictures, a lot were digging on these whited out contact lenses that was a part of her costumed assemble. I sold a good number of my Deposit Man books, trying to blow them out at a buck a piece and at least one of my boxes was made lighter by the time the show ended. I couldn't give you a estimate of how many I actually sold as I haven't gotten back the boxes that Erica will be bringing back from San Diego. I at least gave out approximately 300 of the new postcards that I went down to Kinko's to replenish every so often. Erica's boyfriend forgot to bring the boxes of all the promo CDs, tapes, and DJ lps to give out to the attendees, so I'll probably going to have to save them for the Las Vegas Con if I happen to snag a table there. But, I did however bring down some Promo CDs of the latest Arena album and gave out most of them to those bought my book and to a select few people in the biz who I thought would appreciate it. I saw a few people down there of whom I hadn't seen in years like Cynthia Johns, formely of Blonde Avenger Comics fame and a local guy named Cutter who used to hang out at this comic book store I used to buy from of when I used to live in Encinitas, Ca. Of course, I said hello to a few accquintances I have known over the years such as Heidi MacDonald, Janet Harvey, George Clayton Johnson, and Bob Schreck.

As far as attending panels or events, didn't get to see much in that department - as I was really busy helping out with Erica. I tried keeping awake during the presentation of the new animated Batman DVD, The Mystery of Batwoman- but I really want to experience the entire thing on my DVD player rather than watching it on the big screen- so after nodding off to the second half (not that it wasn't any good- I was just plain exhausted) I decided to cut out and go back working the booth. I attended a shitload of parties- because face it, that was the only way to enjoy myself and that was to immerse myself in some tasty adult beverages. I got to hang out with Dean Haglund who portrayed the long haired Lone Gunman on the X-Files and get this: the guy recognized me from the X-Files Movie video signing in Sherman Oaks that happened over five years ago!

I landed a assignment to do an article for the Comics Buyer's Guide about the effects of outdoor marketing having an impact on comic book stores based on comic book movie properties. Editor Maggie Thompson thought it was an outstanding idea after I showed her some of the photographs I've been taking of Hulk, X-Men 2, and Daredevil billboards and bus placards. So I'll probably be real busy getting that stuff ready in the next couple of weeks.

My big purchase at the con was Vanguard's publication of Joe Simon's memoirs called the Comic Book Makers and both the con's beautiful Alex Ross's JLA t-shirt and a Teen Titans logo t-shirt based on the new animated series.

And the search continues for a Deposit Man cover painter.

~

Coat