SO GOOD and AWESOME. in my fantasies of our dreamboat head of state, this would totally be 100% factual:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obama_disappointed_cabinet_failed

choice nuggets from the article:

"Later, the defense secretary attempted to find common ground with Obama by making casual references to the comic book Spawn. But the 44th president reportedly brushed him off with an abrupt laugh, saying, "no one in [his] administration likes Spawn."

"When asked by the press corps if this week's hiccup has caused him to rethink any of his appointments, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton interrupted the president to assert that she and her colleagues have already begun educating themselves about comic books, and will soon be "an invincible team of Supermen and Wonder Women working to save America." "Wonder Woman? That's not even Marvel," Obama responded before storming out of the press room. "Who are you people?"

"Obama said during a press conference. "When I tell my cabinet that getting bipartisan support is exactly like the time Conan got Taurus to help him steal Yara's jewel, they need to understand what I mean."

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from ELECTRIC ANT ZINE BLOG

while shoveling mushroom bread pudding and beef down my gullet at the work holiday party last night, my colleague yukino tapped me on the shoulder and i turned around — stuffed mouth trying to contain spewing crumbs — to face her and this young asian fellow.

he looked really, really familiar, and if she didn’t introduce james jean so quickly, i still would’ve recognized him as one of my favorite artists of all time.

the next few minutes entailed a frenetic one-man freak show (starring me) that cycled over and over again in a shrill excited voice: “you are one of my favorite artists ever,” “my friends and i all think you are the absolute best; some of them are cartoonists and illustrators!,” “i’ve been following you forever!,” and “i bought two recess series prints from you at APE a few years ago! i dream of owning the entire series one day!!!” he was graciously demure and patient with my wild ranting!

suspend your belief, but i don’t like idolizing people (and there are maybe five people in this world i’d wait in line to meet). even the coolest folks are human beings like you and me, just way luckier. however, james jean is a true hero to me in so many ways. if you’ve ever seen his sketchbook you would gasp endlessly and die from sheer astoundment and admiration, and then you would want to gouge your own eyes out and crawl under a rock to die, frustrated that you were never born with even a nano-fraction of his talent.

also, he’s a very kind, gentle man, a taiwanese-american, and sickeningly young and accomplished.

so the big Q: why the heck was he there? well, yukino is way involved in the totoro forest project; she was one of the principle organizers of this incredible endeavor to save the forest in japan that’s succumbing to urban development. the forest inspired my neighbor totoro. a bunch of artists, some from pixar / academy of art, some of whom are illustrators, cartoonists, etc, banded together to make sweet totoro-related art and auction it off to raise $$$.

james jean of course chipped in with his piece, which our japanese curator bought for the museum!

the museum rules, but now it’s even way cooler in my books because our japanese curator, who’s a total charming cutie, has manifested her good taste in another unexpected way.

so go see everyone’s totoro artwork while it’s still up at the cartoon art museum.

ps – if you check out his recess series, i own “pickup” and “flush”

been neglecting this stupid thing so it’s time to get back on it with some big ol’ updates. i’d like to take a moment to remind (beg) visitors (hi mom, hi sis) to please please PLEASE leave comments! they bring me more pleasure than any lethal narcotic ever could. it’s all i want for xmases and my bdays for the rest of my life.

and away we go with the backtracking.

*
november kicked off awesomely with APE, that beloved annual tradition of nerding out and seeing old friends. this year i ingratiated myself to the coolest kids in the hall, the bang gang (see happy shiny people below). you’ve all heard me wax poetic on what a nostalgic thing APE is for me. it’s nice seeing the same passionate, geeky folks year after year after year, but again, it reinforces my reputation as a lame groupie. oh well. at least this year i was a barnacle at the bang gang table.

(that’s johnny ryan with our ryan)

it was a synergistic year for the bang gang, with hotly anticipated debuts, such as hellen’s jin & jam. it’s awesome, sexy, and sweet. if you like beautiful girls and/or remember what it was like to meet someone who mystified you and with whom you developed an electrifying chemistry, it’ll resonate even more. i remember when hellen started working on it last year during her residency at the museum (for the tezuka exhibition), and the pages were gorgeous. now the finished product is even more gorgeous. it sold like hot cakes. dan clowes told hellen she’s going places. well duh.

anthony peddled gorgeous prints and magnets alongside evan’s trademark photo-illo prints in candy color frames. anthony and derek also reminded ppl of their purdy pieces in the newest popgun. derek debuted deth’s head (the red mini on the table, you can spot it in other pictures), a punchy and hilarious mini about digging for maggot-infested burgers; features a splash page that still cracks me up to this day.

calvin sold out of his prints and ramble on, a lovely mini that i suspect music fiends may especially appreciate. like everyone else in the bang gang, calvin is an incredible soul and talented artist.

another ssssssizzling debut at the bang gang table was ryan’s electric ant zine! it’s a real beaut, aesthetically and content-wise, a reminder of why i got turned onto zines in the first place — passionate people with something interesting to say channeling their earnest energy into a compendium of cool. this one’s got an interview with our hero fred schodt, a gallery of bad guys from our cartoon-infected youthl, NIN mad libs, comics about first kisses, etc.

ALSO, i had the major honor of contributing to the dark lords gallery in EA. being a part of this special project made me feel very, very good. i’m no artist, but to have something i created keep company with artists whom i admire is a throbbing emotional boner for life. drawing it was healthy practice; challenging but fun. i’m surprised i was able to do it. it’s no big deal, just a drawing, but i actually got off my lazy bum and made something. if i’m lucky, i’ll have the pleasure and honor of doing it again.

if you’re curious about my contribution, see if you can find it on EA’s website (tip: preview gallery).

i’m also deliriously giddy, not only cuz Ain’t it Cool News (and others) gave EA a glowing review, but cuz there was direct reference to my piece: “you’ll never look at Shredder the same way again”

and then stuff like this, as silly and non-eventful as it is, makes me high:

so the moral of the story is, surround yourself with the funniest, smartest, most talented friends you can find (artists, writers, strippers, car mechanics, etc) because it’s good for your health, and you can live variously through them! also, it can kick you out of your crippling self-pitying stupor and make you do something that makes you happy.

ALSO, you can support the arts and buy copies of what i’ve mentioned above by clicking on the links.

ps – this is definitely not an exhaustive report of APE.

pps – publisher last gasp held their usual pre-APE shindig (on halloween) where they open up their vaults to the public. i had such a great time. you can see pix here. the warehouse is a wonderland; i could’ve spent hours and hours there!

me & larks!

calvin & hellen as pigsy and monkey king

i’m back, but will need a long time to recover from the taiwan trip. there are 600+ pix that need to be uploaded and organized. it’s daunting.

for now, behold the captivating charm, elegance, and novelty of hong kong’s china club. it exudes the sexy old world allure of a shanghai art-deco restaurant/club and the sophistication of an art gallery with its kitschy, compelling, and/or beautiful contemporary art. many of the furnishings and decor are authentic pieces from a romantic bygone era.

the menu is extensive, the food is good enough (i’ll be damned if the bbq’d pork didn’t melt in my mouth in an explosion of flavors), there’s a chanteuse (might as well have been shu qi), AND AND AND…originals from the lao fu zi (“old master Q”) comic — a childhood favorite. that pretty much sealed the deal for me before i even sat down.

real letterpress coasters bearing the club’s insignia. classy

retro menu design

one wall – note the interesting painting in the middle

another angle of the dining room

more

restaurant entrance with moody lighting

majestic but somber painting in the restaurant doorway

you take the elevator up and step into this foyer / waiting area before entering the restaurant

the view looking up the staircase

YES YES YES. how great did it feel to see these all over?! ohhh nostalgia

i really love this. talk about conversation piece

the walls lining the staircase boast an impressive art collection. this isn’t the best example but i liked it

the reading room is on another floor, housing games and literature on all things chinese. oddly reminiscent of league of extraordinary gents

the piece de resistance — the terrace on the top. cushioned seating along the wall, and bar service i believe. these weak photos don’t do the view any justice

yes, that is colossus seconds away from crashing through the sf moma. you know why?

the uncanny x-men move to SF in the newest issue, #500. AWESOME!

wow, i didn’t get think marvel could get me excited anymore but i gotta hand it to them, this was a wise move. NY is overrated, people! err, i mean, mutants, i mean, editors. thanks for finally coming around. feeling neutral that the art is penciled by terry dodson (good, but inappropriate) and greg land (meh but skilled). penned by ed brubaker, who used to work at comic relief. a bit of history in the making here, folks.

wonder if the asian art museum will ever make a cameo? now’s a good time to confess i used to have a crush on (arch)angel. gosh, i think it’s great that the crew bunker down in the marin headlands, one of my favorite places.

i think i might just have to buy a copy now.

make that two. one for keeping in mint condition and another for reckless reading (bathroom condensation is bad for paper yo). i kid i kid!

ps – i wonder if there are any comic geeks at the moma who are feeling proud right now (there it is again in the background). note the psylocke wannabe, and is the banshee wannabe taking a pic with his iphone?

pps – wolverine wandering noe valley. niiiiiice

peg and i had a good laugh over what would be a really funny (but weak) retort to any nasty insults hurled our way. observe:

meanie: “you are such a _________”
response: “yeah?!…well….i’m not….”

meanie: “you are so _______”
response: “yeah?!!!….well…i’m NOT…”

pretty good, right? i know, you’re floored by the geniusness.

it dawned on me that i shouldn’t be afraid to commit to non-photographic entries. sometimes i should just let the stream of consciousness rip n roar. for instance, lately i’ve had to get up and pee in the middle of the night. sometimes twice. and that’s obnoxious! it makes for fitful sleep.

after a long period of unproductive waffling, i finally got a bike. the opportunity to buy a used one — old, but a great reputable brand, and fun to ride — fell into my lap just at the nick of time. on several occasions i almost compulsively bought one cuz i couldn’t stand not being able to experience the joyous sensation of riding. not to mention the efficiency it introduces to one’s daily routine! what i’m not savoring is the agony it brings upon my poor crotch and battered cheeks. it’s super discouraging when you’re going up a barely-there incline and all you want to do is die. i hope my shoddy fitness and clumsiness doesn’t get the best of me.

also, the hiatus was stifling, but somehow i managed to get back into the gym, and have been going consistently for almost a month, if not more. albeit, it’s not as often during the week as i’d prefer, but i’m trying and making it a big priority. at this point, i feel like i’m conducting an experiment on my body to see what it takes to reap changes. determined to see something, anything, because i hate the current painful package i come in.

we’re going down south for con this weekend. crazy fun times will ensue, what with the winning social make up comprising peg, anthony, derek, fran, hellen, calvin, ryry, evan, so forth. it’ll be only my third time as a pure spectator, since previous years i worked for the comic relief mega booth. so strange, seeing the same folks over and over again, witnessing how they’ve evolved, some over a course of a decade.

my first ever comic convention was APE, when it was in san jose, and i was an angsty 16 or 17 year old. that was when i first met _____, a stylish, handsome, talented, and kind chap who sold me some of his work (which was partly pivotal for starting my “indie” comic obsession) and did a charming sketch in my book. well of course i developed a tiny crush on him, which would lie dormant and surface when i’d see him at subsequent conventions. the crush, harmless in itself, probably germinated because he seemed like such an ideal during an idealistic period of my life, when all i wanted to do was what he was doing, making good comics/art. anyway, he’d always offer a casual “oh hey! what’s up” acknowledgment during later run ins, partly as a show of gratitude for my support, and that would be the extent of our friendly but perfunctory exchange. over the years we’ve aged, and i’ve seen from afar how he’s aged (more salt, less pepper; more jowliness); life progressed. he married, had a child, and god knows how old the kid is now. his art’s always improving, onwards and upwards.

i don’t know why i’m talking about this, other than the fact that it’s interesting how strangers have the ability to make even the slightest impact and symbolize meaningful things in your life. it’s been a long time since i’ve seen this guy, and to be honest, i could care less. but it’s funny how his name alone will conjure up all these bittersweet memories of the girl i was. suddenly i can distinctly remember that first APE: all the nice soulful people, my first encounter with giant robot (jenny shimizu cover), dan wu of oriental whatever (coolest eye-opening thing ever at the time), gene yang (during his xeric days). i can even tell you what i was wearing. it was an entirely new, exciting world that filled me with a fiery passion that’s only native to teen territory.

as nostalgic and sentimental as this particular trip down memory lane is, it’s weighed down with a sorrowful sense of regret and disappointment. how i never created something like i promised myself i would, how i fantasized about one day being behind the table as a producer and not a patron. sucks, but hey that’s life: confronting and coping with the reality that 1) rarely will things turn out the way you want and 2) rarely will you be the person you sought out to be. but how can you retool this ostensibly difficult reality into a positive, healthy thing?

so yeah, that was a long time ago. i think it’d be quite magical to dig through the old sketchbook that i dorkily took to my early cons, in which i’d collect artistic contributions of all the talent i admired. what’d i give to flip through it again.

i’m going to shut up now.

dear diary,

yesterday was kind of a bummer. i was feeling insecure, gross, anxious about an imminent departure, trying to keep my ballistic hormones in check, and coping with the soul-sucking monday blues. being out and about in the castro after work helped. i enjoyed the balmy weather, being amongst all the happy couples walking their exuberant dogs, savoring their bi-rite ice cream cones. it was nice. still, my soul was amiss, UNTIL…i got home last night, sifted through the mail, and found the ultimate spirit-lifter amidst the latest comcast and credit card solicitations.

i couldn’t believe it…
i received a lovely missive from one of my favorite artists of all time, TOM OF FINLAND!

he included a flattering photo of himself (one i’d never seen before) looking dapper and cocky (bearing an uncanny resemblance to middle age vince price). i may not be his flavor, but i’m still a huge, throbbing fan. talk about impeccable timing, arriving at my home the very evening i was in the castro. what a total sweetheart. must’ve been a hassle for him to do this, especially from the grave.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

THANK YOU, TOM! you’re the coolest finn of all time. thank you for being $ex-positive. you weren’t just a damn good fine arts craftsman, you were also the pinnacle of hawt get-your-rocks-off “erotic art.” sigh.

anthony shared this cute 20 second youtube clip with me (first one). the second clip is hellboy being charming. apparently it’s a possibility that ron perlman’s makeup is so cumbersome that they dub his voice in after filming? anyway, i’m posting to celebrate what landed in my inbox the other day. proof that if you enter a million contests and giveaways in your life, you’re bound to get something.

“Congratulations! You won a pass (good for two people) to the advanced screening of Hellboy II, The Golden Army which screens next Tuesday, July 8, 7:30PM at AMC Metreon”

james lipton is pretty delightful

haha, “i don’t even think they have pockets”

it was huge when the news broke that james jean would be loaning his inimitable talent to luxury giant, prada. this was a very long time ago.

of course everyone was excited, including yours truly, a james jean fanatic (who intends on collecting every single print from his recess series – i only have two right now). i thought it was brilliant, and happy that he had elevated to such a level of art celebrity. i usually diss the whole luxury glamour lifestyle (i’m part disgusted and part jealous), but i can’t walk by a prada shop without peering into the window and salivating. it’s probably one of the few places i would drop stupid amounts of $$$ on if i was you know, rich.

i’m not sure how i feel about the end product, though really the man can do no wrong in my books. he’s supremely, sickeningly amazing. taiwanese AND young to boot. one of my all time favorite artists. EVER.

anyway, i spotted this prada satchel (?) at the salon. it was my first and only sighting of the prada + james jean collaborative effort. mixed feelings, really. but hell, like i said, it’s james jean. you can tell that the leather is buttery and sumptuous.

i’m overdosing on eye candy. between this and the dark knight, i am going to be an insufferably giddy child come mid-july. *squeal*

ps – the name of the post references perhaps my most favorite hellboy moment. it’s marvelously endearing and cute: