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12.26.08 - GOODBYE YEAR OF THE RAT. HELLO OX.
It's almost 6 AM. My back was killing me, so I had to get out of bed. I slept awkwardly on my side. Once the aching stops, I can return to bed for another hour or two before Kennedy wakes up. Later today, April and I are traveling to Wisconsin to visit her family. We'll be there for a few days pending weather. It's the first time I've had a chance to meet them, and I'm excited. They sound like wonderful people. Before we board a plane and head for much colder climates, I need to post my obligatory "year in review." While last year was the definition of bittersweet (i.e. getting divorced and then meeting April), this year has been incredible. I've never been happier, happy to be with April (my partner-in-crime who I absolutely love) and happy to be Kennedy's dad. Kennedy has grown up so much. Sometimes, I'll sneak into her room and just look at her while she sleeps. It's a parent-thing. Amazed at this little person before me, who refuses to play Candyland unless she wins. (We need to work on that for 2009.) These two women continually make me smile. And of course, Melissa is still very much a part of my life. I talk with her and see her almost every day. Melissa and I have accomplished the almost impossible: We're a divorced couple who separated on friendly terms. I hurt when she hurts, and I'm happy for her happiness. I know she feels the same. We're raising our daughter and keeping her as the priority.
If I have only one regret from this year, it's that I didn't get anything new published. I wrote some for D Magazine. The "Souvenir of Dallas" one page comic has certainly been a fun experience. And I've been working on other comic projects. It's simply the timing was such that nothing new hit the stores. After a busy 2006 and 2007, maybe I've been spoiled? I did self publish that mini-comic "Mine All Mine," and it was great to collaborate with all those talented artists. There's the irony. My comic work has been seen by more people this year (D Magazine = insanely large readership), and I've worked with more artists this year than ever before. And yet, I'm disappointed. I guess that's a good sign? I'm optimistic about 2009. I have to believe something will push through, and I'll have more to announce. This "year in review" blog post is a tradition. Previously: 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 Memorable events for 2008: * April moving in. * Barack Obama elected president * My cousin's wedding * Family reunion * Wolf Parade concert * Meeting Lisa Loeb * CAPE and Live Art Show / Birthday * Taking Kennedy to the Great Wolf Lodge Favorite comic books in 2008: * Death Note * Yotsuba&! * Palestine * Comic Book Comics * Solanin * Akira * Echo Favorite TV Shows in 2008: * Lost * How I Met Your Mother * Weeds * The Wire * Venture Brothers * Middleman Favorite movies I watched in 2008: * Dark Knight * Slumdog Millionaire * No Country For Old Men * Steamboy * Vicky Cristina Barcelona * In Bruges * Lars and the Real Girl Favorite food for 2008: * Steak burrito from Chipotle Favorite music for 2008: * Bon Iver, For Emma Forever Ago * Sunset Rubdown, Random Spirit Lover * Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer * Joanna Newsom, The Milk-Eyed Mender * The Walkmen, You & Me Going to get some sleep now.
This archive is more for my own benefit. I've been writing online since 1999, and I thought it'd be good to post the links of everything in one place. Before I started writing comics, in college, I wrote for Next-Wave. It's a web magazine that examines the intersection between church and culture. The site design has much improved since that first installment. Some of these early essays make me cringe a little bit. I can see the shift in my understanding of things. There's a lot of youthful restlessness, several false steps and a few grand ideas. I could spend a long time analyzing why I no longer write about faith issues, and I don't know if it would lead anywhere. It wasn't where I was supposed to be. Fact is I'm at my happiest when writing a comic script, and hey, "follow your bliss."
Next-Wave (from April 1999 to September 2002) Who's afraid of the big bad... anyone? anyone? The next new thing... bored with being "postmod"? Ask Constantine: You fight the system. You become the system. Front page fallen: The news media informs America on how to grieve Control Alt Delete: Rebooting the Purpose-driven church You don't know me The Industry of Cool Cracker: How multi-cultural is the postmodern church? Really. Consumer-Friendly Postmodern Cool Impressionistic Theology: Painting God with Color, A Possible Approach to Postmodern Doctrine Sacred Distractions: Concerning the Art of the Spoken Word Running to stand still: How does the church catch its breath? Part 2 Running to stand still: How does the church catch its breath? Part 1 Marked by God: Experiencing divine connection through skin art Postcards from Cyberspace: Online addiction may distract us from our Gospel mission The ABCs of Ministry in the 21st Century Francis Schaeffer: The Last Great Modern Theologian and the reason why I have a goatee The God of Chaos Theory: Some thoughts from the movie "Pi" The Deception of the X-treme church Schindler's Regret: A call to love a friend arrested for murder Everything I ever needed to know for ministry, I learned from ... MTV? The Church Finds Its Pulse: Understanding the significance of a drum beat in worship Superman is Dead: No More "Hero-for-Hire" Clergy Monkhouse Blog (April 2002 to November 2004) Antihero Comics Blog (August 2003 to Present) Weekly column for Fanboy Radio (not archived) Pop Syndicate (July 2006 to March 2007) Don't Think Twice. It's All Right. The STAPLE! Interviews, part 8: Rob Osborne The STAPLE! Interviews, part 7: Will Rodriguez The STAPLE! Interviews, part 6: David Crosland The STAPLE! Interviews, part 5: Kristian Donaldson The STAPLE! Interviews, part 4: Chris Nicholas The STAPLE! Interviews, part 3: Danielle Corsetto The STAPLE! Interviews, part 2: Dean Haspiel The STAPLE! Interviews, part 1: David DeGrand From Geek to Freak to Emergency Room The Lonely Genius The Cover Price, Part Two of Two The Cover Price, Part One of Two Internet Killed the Comic Book Star Joining a Fan Club Interviewing My Friends, Part 4: Josh Howard Interviewing My Friends, Part 3: Brent Schoonover Interviewing My Friends, Part 2: Wes Molebash Interviewing My Friends, Part 1: Scott Hinze A Critical Look at the Critics, part three of three A Critical Look at the Critics, part two of three A Critical Look at the Critics, part one of three 24 hours vs. 10 years The It List, Part Five of Five The It List, Part Four of Five The It List, Part Three of Five Do It for the Diva The It List, Part Two of Five The It List, Part One of Five In Defense of Mr. Nice Guy The Inconvenient Graphic Novel Gray Horses and Salamander Dreams Eisner Awards Preview Uncompromised, inadequately compensated Everything that has nothing to do with Marvel or DC
I hope everyone has a great day.
Fanboy Radio #496 - WISH-LIST-A-THON ‘08: Part 4 I co-hosted this episode of FbR with Scott. ("Stop the hate, aliens.") I list my recommended reads for 2008, and we discuss the motion comics available on iTunes. (click here)
It's December 20th, which marks the 4th annual posting of O Holy Night (trainwreck version). Can you believe it? Four years.
If this is your first time, you're in for a real treat. Listen and enjoy this beautiful Christmas hymn. Share the song with others. They will hate you for it.
Image Comics listed POPGUN VOL 3 for March solicitation (click here). Daniel Warner and I have an eight page short story "50 Miles to Marfa" included in this volume. It's one of the best things I've written. I'm very proud of our contribution, and I hope you'd consider pre-ordering a copy.
 edited by Mark Andrew Smith & D.J. KirkbrideAlso, I'm working on a script for something in VOL 4 with art by Evan Bryce. I'll keep everyone updated.
In my English III class, we're studying the work on Henry David Thoreau. I opened class with these five quotes. The last quote I included as an interesting contrast.
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?" - Thomas Jefferson "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then." - Thomas Jefferson "Every generation needs a new revolution." - Thomas Jefferson "While some people think that dissent is unpatriotic, I would argue that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. In fact, if patriotism means being true to the principles for which your country is supposed to stand, then certainly the right to dissent is one of those principles. And if we're exercising that right to dissent, it's a patriotic act." - Howard Zinn "Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens." - Britney Spears Fortunately, Miss Spears, our U.S. Constitution does not agree with you. You wonder why students are often at the front lines of every protest? Blame teachers and Thoreau.
An update on HOW TO LOSE BIG: Brock Rizy is on board to illustrate the comic-within-a-comic OH NO POGO, and Erin Riggs will illustrate the other comic-within-a-comic PRINCESSES VS. UNICORNS. Yes, that is the title. Of course, Paul Milligan is on the main story.
Two days ago, Erin sent some princess designs. So, let me clarify: Our graphic novel will include graphic violence between princesses and unicorns. I'm having too much fun.
(via Brock)
 EMILY EDISON debuted two years ago, which means it's been four years since we first created the character. Last night, I got an email from Brock. We've begun discussing the details of a volume two. I'm excited, because there are some ideas we tucked into the first volume that we'll finally be able to explore. Emily is such a fun character to write. And of course, I love working with Brock. Anyone who knows him knows he's such a creative savant, it takes a lot just to keep up. More updates soon, I'm sure.
Paul Milligan finished some character designs for HOW TO LOSE BIG, a wonderful comic book project that we're working on... about working on a wonderful comic book project.
      
KERA's Art&Seek posted a blog about this Thursday's panel discussion at the DMA (click here).
Q: What do you get when an architect, sculptor, writer and historian head to the museum?I know a thing or two? Actually, I know only two things about collaborating and working remotely with artists: (1) Defend and support them unto death itself. Disagreements need to be settled privately and with unconditional respect. (2) Give them your best work, and they will give you their best work. I apologize for my lack of humor and sarcasm -- but those are the two things. Oh yeah and e-mail. You use email a lot. Any other thoughts on remote collaborations?
This past weekend, I participated in my fourth Art Conspiracy. I'm not much of an artist. So instead, I stick to what I know (as seen below). The finished piece looked kinda cool with all that text on plywood.
 photo by Ange Fitzgerald (click here for more Art Con photos from Ange) It was odd seeing people bid on my work. Really? You're willing to pay that much? Cool. I've spent too long at conventions where people cringe and moan over a $3 comic book. Eat it. My confidence is recession proof. I've posted my Flickr set from Art Conspiracy. UPDATE (12/09): Video
While lurking on Twitter, I came across this comment from writer Matt Sturges: "As of today I've written sixty-one comic books, which is about 1,342 pages of comics. It seems like a lot when you put it that way."
Thus, I thought it might be interesting to visit my script folder on the external hard drive and see how many pages I've written. I did not include the synopsis or outlines, just pages of comics. Lo and behold, as of today, 1000 pages. Exactly. It breaks down this way: 461 pages of published work (including mini-comics) and 539 pages of unpublished work. It means I write about 200 pages a year, approximately 17 pages each month. That doesn't feel like a lot. I should be writing more.
Attention Christmas shoppers: I will be set up at F6 Gallery's Gift Show. I know you're thinking: "But I already have all of David's graphic novels, why should I go?"
#1. I'll bring cookies. #2. Buy KARMA INCORPORATED for your boss or EMILY EDISON for your best friend's daughter. Buy ANTIGONE for your mom, or ASTRONAUT DAD for... well... your dad. #3. Lots of other talented people will be there with original work to sell.  To my friends in Dallas, there is a world beyond your city limits! Drive to Arlington, for once. It'll take you 40 minutes at most. Visit the F6 Gallery. All proceeds from sales will benefit my daughter's Christmas.
* We're back from California, and we have the photos to prove it.
* Update on WHERE's OSWALD (previous post): The next day, Kennedy and I visited Rosehill Cemetery again. We found the OSWALD gravesite, next to Nick Beef, just as described. Now I wonder if the story the neighbor told about moving the body and the secret acronym is true or simply an urban myth? It's fitting that even Lee Harvey's gravesite should have a conspiracy theory. So far, I haven't been able to find a female L.H.O. marker near the area he indicated. * After a month or so of using Google Reader, I'm convinced that my subscriptions are cooler than yours, and I've done a better job of keeping track of everyone. (Maintaining my inbox is a little more daunting. The goal is to read and respond to everything by the end of the day.) My subscriptions: Andi Watson, April Wenzel, Benjamin Hall, Book/Daddy, Brent Schoonover, Brock Rizy, Cal Slayton, Chris Williams, Chynna Clugston, Clay Harrison, Comic Foundry, Daniel Miller, Daniel Warner, Evan Bryce, FrontBurner, ghettoManga, Jake Ekiss, Jamie S. Rich, Jeff Elden, Jenni Leder, Jim Lujan, Josh Howard, Justin Stewart, Kazu Kibuishi, Kristian Donaldson, La Reunion TX, Laura Hudson, Marlena Hall, Otis Frampton, Paul Milligan, Pop Syndicate, Raina Telgemeier, Sarah Jane Semrad, Scott Zirkel, The Beat, Unfair Park, Vinh-Luan Luu, Warren Ellis Is there anyone I'm missing? * Finally, Pop Syndicate has been nominated in the Bloggers Choice Awards. It'll only take a few seconds. If you can, vote for Pop Syndicate in all five categories: Entertainment Pop Culture Blog about stuff Blog Design Blogging Host
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