May 2004 Blog Archive

from www.gravyboy.com

May 31, 2004

 

  Today, for your memorial day displeasure I present Jake Chapter two.

 

Click Here for "Jake the Working Guy - Chapter Two

 

 

 

-Brian

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May 27, 2004

 

  Today I'm featuring a little ditty for all you working stiffs out there entitled "Jake the Working Guy" -  by Danny McCormick.  Perhaps the best use of corporate clip art I've seen yet.

 

 

Click Here for "Jake the Working Guy - Chapter One

 

 

 

 

-Brian

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May 24, 2004

 

  So my neighbors won a trip to go see the final two American Idol shows in LA.  How cool and completely random is that.  Perhaps there hope for me in the McDonald's Monopoly game after all!

 

I'm getting ready for HeroesCon.  Less than three weeks away.  Last year I was hobbling around the streets of Charlotte in a leg brace, trying desperately to keep up with my uninjured friends.  We've got a small press table this year.  So at least we'll have a place to go to find someone in our group...although I doubt we'll stop trying to embarrass each other over walkie-talkies.

 

-Brian

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May 21, 2004

 

  This morning I had to stop back by my old work to show them how to do something.  After being footloose and fancy free for over a month I thought it would be weird setting foot back into the ol' warehouse.

 

But actually it wasn't that bad.

 

When you're not there everyday and you know that you can just walk out with no repercussions, it takes a load off.  The reason I had to go back was kind of funny though.  I had a hard of hearing client from germany (which means he doesn't hear us well, and we can't understand him...also he babbles and doesn't make an effort to understand what you're saying) who's really hard to deal with.  He has the honor of being the only person I ever raised my voice to at work.  At any rate, he brought in his stuff, babbled on incoherently about what he wanted, and when told that I wasn't an employee there anymore said:

 

"well, you'll just have to get him back."

 

I find this extremely funny.  Of course, the not funny part is that I had to go back...well, I didn't have to, but I did.  Because I'm such a freakin' nice guy.

 

I knew this guy would come back to haunt me.

 

-Brian

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May 20, 2004

 

  There's been a lot of boasts by people trying to break into the comics industry over the last few years that they're going to be the ones to turn things around.  Their art/story/inking/ideas/studio/mama's chili/whatever is so unbelievably good that mediocrity will crumble before their prodigious talent.

 

Um, call me simple minded...but I just want to tell a story. I don't think that we're under any delusions that our work is so unbelievably awe inspiring that the world will begin to buy comics by the millions.  I guess I have modest goals.  I really just want a readership.  An audience to share the tale of Philbert Pharmac so that it exists somewhere other than my and Marty's head.  

 

Relax, read our story, and have a little fun.  If you are powerful enough to single-handedly take on an industry and turn it around, go into healthcare.

 

 

-Brian

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May 17, 2004

 

  This past weekend my wife and I took our annual trip to the coast.  While there, I decided to check out the local comic shop.  It was a fairly decent sized store with a separate room in the back that was used for gaming.  The afternoon I was there it was packed with kids playing cards.

 

In case you are unaware, the comics industry ain't what it used to be.  With the advent of video games and the like, comic books just aren't a major form of entertainment among kids today.  I've heard lots of people speculate on ways to get kids back into comic stores.  Ways to get their parents to encourage comics as a valid form of reading and art.

 

To a large degree, store owners are responsible (if they want to help foster and atmosphere where parents are comfortable taking their kids) for providing an venues conducive to these goals.  

 

While at the beach in my newly discovered comic shop, one thing dawned on me.

 

There is no reason for comic stores to sell porn.

 

Really.

 

I mean please explain how mainstream porn magazines are in any way related to comics, cards, or toys.  They're not.  In addition, I wouldn't let my hypothetical kids roam freely in a comic shop with a porn section.  Actually it wasn't a section, it was on the top row of the bottom rack...right with all the other magazines.  Which means the younger and shorter you are, the better angle of sight you have to it.  If this was an attempt to "hide" the magazines, or make them less accessible, the shop owners have no understanding of standard children height.

 

"Excuse me sir, my son is interested in getting a ToyFare magazine"

 

"Yes, ma'am, it's right above Penthouse."

 

I understand that shop owners can sell whatever they like.  But in my opinion, porn in a comics shop is out of place and inappropriate.  Especially sold RIGHT BESIDE other magazine geared towards an audience of a much younger age.

 

-Brian

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May 12, 2004

 

  We now have a Message Board.

May 11, 2004

 

  Yesterday's post is below.  My server disables ftp'ing if it's not used for 90 days.  Since I publish from my webdesign programs, it thought I wasn't updating.  Took me a while to figure out what happened.  And by "figure out" I mean I had to have someone tell me.  

 

-Brian

comments?

 

 

May 10, 2004

 

  So the book was sent off to the printer via the United States Postal Service last week...no, make that the week before last.  Only the Postal System decided that my package would be better off in oblivion.  So it never got there.  So I resent it Fed Ex.  The printer received that one.  So there's a lesson in this.  

 

Use a service that gives you a tracking number.

 

This puts the book a week behind, but should still be out this month.  

 

Also, the website has been doing something funky.  Sometimes it gives a funky error message.  Not sure what that's about, but I guess I should fix it.  Or you won't be reading this.

 

-Brian

comments?

 

May 4, 2004

 

  Happy Cuatro de Mayo!!!  Okay, so it doesn't have the same ring to it.  But Mexican restaurants will still serve you a burrito...so it's like having a holiday anytime!

 

Not big on Mexican independence?  What are you?  A commie? Well, to each his own, I suppose, and if you are a commie do the people a favor and buy our comic book.  It's just the thing to take your mind of American Capitalism!

 

In case you were wondering, the book is currently at the printer.  In the next two weeks I'll get ordering info up for those of you who have asked for it.  

 

-Brian

comments?