EOS 54: New Years

Ok, I am going to do something decidedly different this week. Basically, I realized that since no-one actually gives a crap about what I do on this, I am going to illustrate some of my rants and neuroses. If you don't like it, I don't care, because you obviously didn't very excited about anything else I posted on this site. Deal with it.

I have never been able to force myself to fall asleep. Growing up, naptimes and bedtimes were torture. My parents would get mad because I would never get to sleep before them. It's not like I fought them or made noise, I just couldn't shut off my brain. I still can't I don't know how you freaks do it. What is wrong with you? There are just too many things to do, to go to sleep before being completely exhausted.

Anyway, Happy New Year.

Top 10 Webcomics

I have been reflecting on my comics recently and I have decided on a hard truth. What I want out of Lona is not what people like, but at least I am starting to understand what people like. What people like are fun characters and humorous responses to situations, not overly forced philosophical ramblings. They want to see characters grow in a story, not just illustrate a point. I have decided to all-out scrap Lona and just go back to telling whatever stories I find amusing. I have learned quite a bit in the past two years, but this is still going to be by the seat of my pants.

I have been watching a number of film criticisms by Nostalgia Chick (http://blip.tv/nostalgia-chick) and I feel that is influencing my already overly analytical take on all things pop culture. Seriously, I cannot just sit down an enjoy something these days without thinking about why I enjoy it and how it uses it medium.

Since I am going to go back into being gung-ho about comics, and I feel a need to analyze everything, perhaps I should list my most influential web-comics and what they mean to me. So, without further ado, here are my top 10 most personally influential web-comics.

10: Dilbert (www.dilbert.com)
You may find it odd that I am listing a syndicated comic as a webcomic, but Dilbert is more a web-comic than anything. While not independently published, it was the first mainstream comics that utilized the World Wide Web as a major outlet and email as a main means of communications. It was born out of cooperate networks and really became the first smash hit comic online. In fact, one major employer from my hometown received an email from the publisher asking if their employees ever did any work because they received so many hits from them each day. It is the first comic to truly make the jump from print to digital in a big way.

What Dilbert means to me, besides a historical context, is that it was my first does of daily cynicism to which I could truly relate. Here was a cartoon about corporate engineers, and it took me through engineering school and into my chosen profession. I’ll never quite forget the first “Dilbert” moment I had as an intern, walking into the conference room finding buzz-words painted all over the walls like it was a good thing. I think more than anything Dilbert has influenced my world-view than my actual cartooning. Wally is my engineering idol. I guess what Dilbert means to me more than anything is that a cartoon can be a mascot of a people, even if that people is just about everyone, because we all have frustrating days at work.

9: Surviving the World (www.survivingtheworld.net)

OK, for the uninitiated, STW is a comic, but it is not a cartoon. Let’s get technical here. A comic is a story told by static images. There can be one, like the Far Side or Family Circus, or there can be many like your typical comic book. There is nothing dictating that they must be produced by a certain medium. A cartoon, on the other hand, is an intentionally simplified illustration of an object or idea intended to capture the essence of object but not duplicate it. Thus, something like the Shrek is a cartoon because it is not trying to be photorealistic with its characters. Whereas, something like the Star-Wars Prequels, despite being heavily animated, is not a cartoon because it is intending to fool you into looking like real life. Am I being clear? Honestly, I just wanted to expound on some stuff. I will get back to the task at hand now.

            Maybe it is the engineering/academic/thermodynamisist connection, but I really get Surviving the World. Part of it is my shared frustration with him on how people behave, but I admire the approach Dante Shepard takes. He plays the role of professor, (which he is in real life) and it is his job to educate us. His comics don’t fall into the beat-you-down-because-you-are-stupid category, which a lot of frustration comics fall into. Instead, he comes at you with a lesson, you feel better about yourself to know something new, and maybe you won’t make the obvious mistake this time. I guess it is more a lesson of being a teacher than being a cartoonist, but if you ever want to be a good cartoonist, sooner or later, you are going to be teaching your viewpoint, and you want to educate people not insult them.

            8: Doghouse Diaries (www.thedoghousediaries.com)

This comic also falls under the frustration-at-the-world category. The Doghouse Diaries takes a slightly different approach. The cartoons take frustration and push it to hyperbole. Common themes are daily annoyances based on things coming between us and our inane desires and, as the title suggests, the struggle between the sexes that often lands us in the proverbial doghouse. What makes this comic influential to me is that it allows the creators to poke fun at the overly simplistic viewpoints that men are purported to have, but the misgivings of common female viewpoints do not make it off Scott free. See http://thedoghousediaries.com/1764 and http://thedoghousediaries.com/1771 . I admire that in the end, this comic is a group of men honestly reflecting and making sense out of their lives, and we get to see the humor in it. 

            7: Connie Wonnie (www.conniewonnie.com)

I like Connie Wonnie for so many reasons but most of all because I like the creator. I generally consider her an actual friend, but I think I may have scared her off. I tend to do that to people. Anyway, why is liking a creator such a big deal to me? It simple. That is exactly what you are getting in Connie’s comics. You are getting the world through her eyes, pure and unadulterated. It is frustrated, whimsical, and brutally honest.  If you are ever need inspiration to open up, this is the comic for you. I think today’s comic illustrates this perfectly. Also, it has cute animals. (http://www.conniewonnie.com/2013/12/free-nuzzles.html)

Also, I really identify with her whole, educated, perpetually-singe, living-away-from-family-in-the-Northeast motif. I think I am noticing a pattern of liking comics with which I identify.

6: Dr. McNinja (www.drMcninja.com)

The name says it all. He is both a doctor and a ninja. Unlike other comics whose humor relies on what might be considered randomness, Dr. McNinja stays somewhat logical. Yes, the characters and situations are a bizarre fantasy one might dream up as a young boy, (complete with references back to the creator’s youth) but the resolution and interpersonal conflicts are strongly grounded in reason and realistic emotions. It’s a lesson in humor as I like it. Humor isn’t about being over-the-top. Humor is about pointing out the absurdity of life with hyperbole and bizarre substitutions that somehow still work. I think Dan McNinja’s line on this page says it all (http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/4p15/)

            This comic also taught me another lesson. I don’t want to do action. I will just leave that for the best of them, because there is no way I could compete.

            5: PhDComics (www.PhDcomics.com)

If there was ever a comic that influenced a life decision, this was it. I was introduced to the PhD Comics while I was contemplating graduate school. When I read the entire archive, I was hooked. It sounded like fun. Basically, I was bored and suffering sounded like more fun that watching my brain rot. I was already pretty cynical from years of Dilbert, but PhD finished me off. I was so jaded that I thought I could take on anything, and in that mindset I embarked on what can be poetically referred to as "the best mistake of my life" all because I thought it would be fun. Yes, it actually was loads of fun. However, over that 5-year period I would keep on experiencing frustrations, setbacks, and feelings of impending doom, and in those moments I would recall some comic I read years ago that applied perfectly. It was comforting more than anything because it reminded me that if these problems are common, then people must be able to overcome them. You see, that is what is special about the cynicism of PhD Comics. Whereas Dilbert is the mascot for the masses who that binds us together, PhD is for the broken that are reminded that they are not alone. If you want to understand the frustration of a graduate student, just go through this list. (http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/most_popular.php)

            This comic also taught me a lesson. I really don’t need to be another comic laden with cynicism. I prefer to look at things through a more optimistic light. Let others do the commiseration. I will add the hope.

            4: Questionable Content (www.QuestionableContent.net)

QC was probably the first webcomic I truly loved. When I found it, I read through the entire archive in like a day (maybe two) and despite my efforts, I cannot put it down. What does QC mean to me? In some ways it is the classic slice-of-life webcomic, a slightly tweaked reality with a large fun cast of semi-rejects, ongoing soap-opera drama, and designated comic relief characters that could not exist in real life. It comes complete with a glorification of hipsters in coffee shops. I guess what keeps me in QC is two things. First, the characters are genuinely interesting and endearing. You want to hear what they have to say and how they react to different things. The other thing is that the world keeps moving in the little things, be it the change of the seasons, the daily rotation of their clothing, or the specials listed on the chalkboard. You can actually count the days as they move. The stories are neither static nor do they jump disjointedly from event to event. They progress through time just like life, and QC captures this.

            Like all of my top comics, QC taught me something valuable about what I don’t want from a comic. I don’t want to play up to the cool stuff to do like hanging out in coffee shops and talk about music just because that is the trendy thing to do at my age (or was). I kind of want my comics to be a little more timeless. We’ll see how this goes.

            3: Dresden Codak (www.DresdenCodak.com)

I will find it hard to describe what Dresden Codak means to me. Dresden Codak is the first comic I fell in love with because of the artwork. It is philosophical, funny, and ornate. It can range from huge strips with tons of artwork for a simple payoff (http://dresdencodak.com/2009/09/07/the-sleepwalkers/) to straightforward literature jokes (http://dresdencodak.com/2009/09/22/caveman-science-fiction/). Either way, if you are willing to wait the sometimes months between updates, you are rewarded with something quite amazing each time. I am not going to say much about this comic, not because I don’t have much to say, but because it is hard to summarize. It draws influence from so many areas, yet it manages to run all of the conflict through one strange mal-adjusted protagonist. I think that is its strength. While brilliant, Kim’s excesses are relatable as she geeks about the silliest ideas in a way we would too if only we could conceive of them. (http://dresdencodak.com/2010/06/10/dark-science-02/) It influences why I must get philosophical in my work.
            I guess the lesson with Dresden Codak is that you should never take yourself too seriously in your message or your artwork. Sometimes, people just want a pretty picture and a smart joke, and if you get a little pretentious about that, you can turn off people. Also, you tend to take longer when you take yourself too seriously, and people don’t like waiting.

            2: XKCD (www.XKCD.com)

What is there to say about XKCD? Well, let’s heap some praise on it. Randall Munroe is considered a god among geeks, and the true torchbearer of the single-panel comic, passed along from the greatest of them all, Gary Larson, whose flame of humor must have been stolen from the heavens in a truly Promethean manner. Hefty words, I know, but hear me out. XKCD is not really a comic about anything. Much like The Far Side, it is a really a collection of disconnected ideas with occasionally reoccurring themes. It is rooted in the way Randall Munroe wants to see the world, a world where geekiness is used for cuteness (http://xkcd.com/162/) and to solve problems (http://xkcd.com/322/). It is a tool and a quirk, but it is also a drawback in many situations (http://xkcd.com/309/). It is his personal fight against the rest of the world (http://xkcd.com/172/), yet it is not angry (http://xkcd.com/968/). He romanticizes, and stands in awe despite the obvious problems around him. That is XKCD. I wish I could do that. Also, seriously, he can get some totally awesome emotion out of stick figures (http://xkcd.com/486/).

            I guess what XKCD taught me not to do was that I do not want my works to be without theme. I like pulling things together on a personal level like he does in his jokes, but I also like feeling like I am telling a larger story. It is hard to do that with every strip just bouncing around. Also, if I am going to do an info-graph, it should either be informative, awe-inspiring, or funny. Charts for the sake of charts don’t do it for me.

            1: Girls With Slingshots (www.girlswithslingshots.com)

Why GWS? Are you surprised? Why is a comic I probably wouldn’t show my grandmother the most influential web-comic I read? Part of it was timing, I guess. GWS was the tipping point. I read some GWS through the years, but it never really clicked with me until February of 2012. Then, in about a 24 hour period I read the entire archive and decided that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I am still nowhere near ready to make it a profession, but I will at least take it seriously.

            I think the biggest thing for GWS, as far as influence goes, is that there is something very accessible about it. In reading the archive, I got to experience the progression of Danielle Corsetto from part-timer to professional to Goddess of the Web-comic world. I am simultaneously in awe of much of her artwork without being intimidated by it. It is beautiful yet simple, a tough act, and it is only getting better. However, I saw from where it started. So, I know I can make the same progression.  It is extremely encouraging.

            I think the biggest thing about GWS is accessibility. Danielle writes much of her own personality into her main protagonists. That genuine nature comes through, and she writes her supporting characters to be people she would actually like. I can only assume many of them are based on people she knows. Also, her situations are wacky and border on fantasy with talking cacti, ghost kittens, and other oddities, but the driving stories are personal and human. In many ways, if QC is the classic slice-of-life comic, GWS is slice-of-life perfected.  I mean look at today's strip (http://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/gws-1765/).

            The other major thing GWS is how personable Danielle Corsetto is, even over the Internet. Of all of the comic authors I have followed, she is the most open. Whereas, I have mixed feelings about #TMItuesday, I appreciate that an author incorporate her readers in her life to the point that they are the go-to solution for any technical problems she encounters. She also post GWS inspired recipes (http://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/ask-the-cast-4-2013--ginger-pear-cookie-recipe/) As fans, we will gladly share what we know with her because she gladly shares herself with us. It is nice not to have some author who just occasionally updates us on progress or lack-there-of but brings us into the challenges of being an artist. She also does fun things like occasionally live-streaming her drawing process some nights. During the last EOS I drew, her live-stream was in the background. It was good to know that I was not the only person making a comic at that time of night. Oh, and she would stop and join the chat with the readers. How cool is that? If there is one thing that night taught me, I am more creative when I am feeling connected to people. Maybe that is the key I need to learn, “connect.”

            I guess, the one thing I would not do that GWS does is that I would not let such dirty themes enter my comic, but that is just staying true to myself. I guess that is the lesson I learn. Don’t imitate someone else’s model for success. Be true to yourself.

So what does this say about comics and me? Don’t imitate others. I prefer comics that connect to my station in life. I prefer comics when I can relate to the author. I like comics that reinforce my cynicism to get me through the hard times, but I would rather have hope and wonder.

New Lona is up.

Yes, I spent my weekend drawing a new Lona!
You can see her at lona.mildlymiffed.com

I hope to have a joke strip or two out for next week. I'm not sure if you would really call them jokes, but I am not sure that I am in a state were I can actually tell a joke right now. Honestly, in May I felt that I was 17, now I feel like I am pushing 30 (well, wait 30 days.) Anyway, aging 13 years in 7 months takes it's toll on your sense of humor. We'll see.

EOS 53: Mall Music

OK, I made an important decision over the weekend, and that was I am taking myself too seriously with Lona and no one cares about my pretentious art message. I will still finish Lona, but I will also try to do things that actually interest the general public. As such, I am reintroducing the cast of Eyes of Solace and their message of humorous contentment.

I am surprised how easily I jumper right back into these characters after having not touched David and Sylvia for over a year and Nat for about six months. This was a one-night-wonder and for the number of panels and faces I had to do, I am pleased with the quality.

Also, it appears that Sylvia wears the same sandals in winter as she does in summer. Maybe she has waterproof socks, or maybe they are magic. I don't know. If you like her shoes you can buy a pair here. It might be a bit late to get them for Christmas. (Edit, they are not making shoes are the moment, but you can get in on their kickstarter. I am tempted, but I have no use for a pair of womenfolk's sandals. So my donation would be at a non-shoe tier.)

www.mohop.com

Finally this strip goes out to three women. The first is my favorite singer whose atrocity of a Christmas album inspired most of the songs selected for this strip. The second is my mother who hates "Santa Baby" even more than I do. The Final one is off to Danielle Corsetto who decided to live-stream her drawing tonight. Knowing that there are other artists out there doing what I am doing at night really makes this a lot less lonely, especially when there is an active chat among the viewers. Danielle does the amazing strip Girls With Slingshots. If you are unfamiliar, then what is wrong with you? Go to www.girlswithslingshots.com and read the whole archive.

(Edit, 4:33 AM is not the time to write a newspost. The part of my brain responsible for proofreading passes out around 2 AM.)

Scarlet Shame

This little story is based somewhat on a collection of experiences I have had in my professional and academic career ranging from understanding from where I came to my confusion over the ridiculous pitches I have heard at start-up fairs. Seriously, some of them made this comic seem reasonable: http://xkcd.com/1060/

This story is also a cheapshot taken at my school's bitter rival. It's all in good fun, and I actually do respect their alumni quite a bit, except for Kirk Herbstreit, but that is a story for another time.

Scarlet Shame.

Hester zipped up her jacket as she walked out the door. She bought the jacket years ago after her freshman orientation. The neutral colored jacket sported but one distinguishing feature, a stylized vowel on the left breast pocket.  Despite its once bright scarlet hue now fading to more of a shade of pink by football seasons, walks by the river, and lounging on the oval, she wore it with pride. After all, she knew that the institution it represented made her what she is today, and she cherished the memories more than anything.

She turned around and took in her home. It wasn’t much, but it was her first real apartment by herself. She loved her old roommates, but it was time to move on and be an adult, and the town was a charming full of friendly folks as one expects in the Midwest. On cold days she had to talk the corner shop into letting her pay for her coffee, and things of the like. It was a good place.  Something she would have never found if it were not for her new job, and she would never have landed it without the connections from her college. It all goes back to that place.

Arriving at work was always a bit of a spectacle for Hester, partially because she was the type to make a scene out of everything and partially because she always stood out. Being the only female engineer in a small company is always going to weigh on a woman’s mind, but, additionally, all of her co-workers had something else in common.

“So when are you going to lose that old jacket?” Lloyd asked her somehow peering at her from across his desk without actually looking at her. “It really isn’t professional to be seen in something as worn and tasteless as that.”

“Shut up. I love this jacket,” she replied, knowing where the conversation was going.

“We’ll, I’m just saying I would hate to drive away potential customers just because you showed up looking like that. Listen, you are probably swamped by your student loans. So, we could take up a collection and get you something. I’m liking this,” he said as he pointed to his computer screen.

Hester walked around his desk and recoiled in disgust complete with an audible sticking out of her tongue for dramatic effect. What she saw was a dark-blue jacket with a large bright-yellow letter sewn to the back. She returned to her desk without saying a word. Altogether, her job was good, but it was a small company founded by a couple of alumni from the bitter rival of her school to the north. In fact, she was the first person hired by the company who had not attended that college. Sometime she bothered them about it, but she didn’t understand their condescension. What made their school so much better? After, they hired her. She was always amazed at how much she learned at her university. It really made her the engineer she was today. Then, Hester brightened a bit as she thought to her plans that day. She counted the hours until lunch when she would be meeting with some old college friends. “This is going to be fun,” she thought.

Arriving at the small diner, Hester’s face immediately lit up. Woody AND, Jim, AND Emily were there! They were probably the brightest classmates she had ever had. Sharing an alma mater with them made her so proud.

After dispensing with greetings and pleasantries, and finally after several reminders by the waitress to actually looking at their menus and ordering they began discussing business.

“So, tell us about the job?” Woody asked first.

“Well, we are a small firm that designs parts for joint and limb prosthetics. It was a bit slow at first but they have me working on some interesting projects. In fact we are applying for a new patent. It should be a major improvement the durability of replacement joints.” Hester replied.

“So you really like it there?” Emily asked.

“Yeah, except in football season.” Hester Joked.

“You see that is why we wanted to talk with you, we were wondering if you would want to work with us. You might find it a lot more friendly atmosphere.” Jim responded.

“Really, you are starting a business? Oh my goodness, this is amazing, what is your plan?” Hester had to hold back here immediate consent, but the thought of working with these three was overwhelming her in the best possible way.

“Well, we are going to be doing logistics consulting for a web-app that will find crowd-source engineering solutions databases.” Jim exclaimed with delight.

Hester could tell that Jim had been waiting all day to say that. Beyond that, Hester was confused, “So, you are making an app?”

“No, we are doing consulting for people who want to make an app.” Jim corrected.

“An app that manages crowdsourced engineering solutions?” Hester asked.

“No, the app helps people find places that do engineering crowdsourcing.” Jim Corrected again.

“Let me get this strait. Your business plan is to tell people how to make a piece of software that tells people where to ask random strangers to help them solve their design problems, and all of these strangers would have to front their own R&D expenses? So at what point is any actual work being done? I mean couldn’t the customer just type the problem into a search engine and see what comes up?” Hester asked.

“Ohh,” Emily lit up, “We could suggest people have a search engine feature. Hester, you are so smart. You see guys, there is a reason I told you to invite her.”

“Yes, this is already an improvement on my original idea.” Woody said. He then began to explain it in detail. The entire time Hester’s head sank closer to the table wondering how a man she had looked up to for so many years could believe such a foolish endeavor was even feasible.

Hester returned to work at almost 2 PM. Passing her boss, Bo, in the hallway, she lowered her head in shame. She had been caught. Could the day get any worse?

“Taking our time at lunch are we?” he asked.

“I was meeting with some old friends, we kind of got carried away.” She apologized, “Won’t let it happen again.”

“Oh, its quite alright, sometimes you have to put work on hold when the opportunity arises. Have a good afternoon,” he said continuing down the hallway.

Hester called out after him. “Bo, I was wondering. ” He turned around, she continued. “Was talking with my friends from college about a business idea of theirs. I respected these people a lot. Not, just me, but everyone in the school respected them, even the professors. Now I talk to them, and their ideas just seem so foolish. What can change someone like that?”

“Hester, I don’t think anything changed them, but I know you changed, “Do you remember the project that you showed me during your interview?” Bo asked.

“The bird repelling squirrel feeder, yeah. I won best senior project award for it.  Actually, Woody (a friend I met with today) suggested the idea,” Hester held her tongue for a moment, “but who would actually buy such a thing?”

“Well, that is the question. As far as a business idea, it was a terrible product, but we were so impressed by your ingenuity that we decided you were the one we wanted. You came up with some really elegant solutions to a complex problem.” Bo assured her.

“How come no-body at school pointed out how obviously bad it was? I mean compared to the other projects, it was easily the most functional, but looking back I would have rejected them all. I mean, the one Woody did himself would have been the biggest commercial flop of them all. I think in order for it to work the way he described, certain rules of physics would have to be violated, but I can’t put my finger on which ones.”

“Oh, don’t be so harsh,” Bo said, “Students rarely understand the ramifications of their projects. However, in many institutions people simply do not care. They only ask that you make a show of your work without looking at the actual content. In places like that you can get some real slugs who sink into never contributing anything useful. However, you also have innovative and bright people, like yourself, that despite being weighed down with bad ideas, actually learn something.”

“How can you say that? These people, that place, made what I am today. I am here because of that place.” Hester was a little choked up at this point.

“Are you really here because of that school, or are you here in spite of that school. In the end, you accomplishments are your own, but it is a lot easier to accomplish things when you are not fighting the institution around you. That is why we brought you here, and once you cleared your head of that adversity, you really started to shine,” Bo assured her again.

“Trade it for a different adversity. No-one here respects me just because of the school I went to. How can I prove to them that I can contribute?” Hester asked. “I am working with Lloyd, and he never gives it a rest.”

Bo looked confused, “Lloyd respects you more than anyone in this place. He was the one that insisted that your name be added to the patent application. He said without your contributions we would have been working on this for years. As far as the ribbing goes, he does it to everyone. If it really bothers you I know he can tone it down.”

“No, I think that is alright. Thank you anyway.” Hester returned to her desk.
“Nice jacket, you honestly wore that in public” Lloyd said, “The offer still stands on the replacement.”

Hester looked down at the faded scarlet vowel. This morning, it had meant so much to her as a person as her identity, and as her value. Now, it just represented memories, good memories, but memories don’t really dictate what a person can do. Hester removed the jacket. “Nah, I think I’m good. I can handle it myself when the time comes.”

Lona Part 3 is done.

Yes, I only have three more parts to go!

Lona.mildlymiffed.com is where you can find it.

Because I get two extra nights this week, I think I might have time to write a short story tomorrow night, just for you. I also have some Christmas shopping to do!

Andrew

More lona and stuff.

Yes, I actually updated at lona.mildlymiffed.com

I am tired and I need to watch videos put together by Space Pyrates now.
http://caitlindmajor.tumblr.com/

Business Cards

I got a package form Fed-Ex today!
It had this in it!

No, that is not a misprint. It is an art business card with no art.

The way I see it is that not everyone is like me and frames really cool artist cards.


Cards are to get my name out there. Most people go the expensive-fancy and over-thought route and put a really pretty picture on them. Well I was at a loss for what would be cool, memorable, impressive, and relevant given how long it's going to take me to give away 250 of these things.

So, I decided, "Why not just draw on them as I hand them out?" That's right, when I give you a business card, you not only get a the contact information for the best up-and-coming cartoonist this side of Ashland Street, you also get a one-of-a-kind (and highly collectable drawing.)

See, being cheap works if you spin it right. I will refer to it as a Cheap Trick because that band is awesome.

Anyway,
I have to see how a chemistry experiment is doing and actually get to drawing my next installment of Lona. Also, if you are really good, I will give you first crack at a story I plan to write next week.

Andrew

Reblogging and ranting.

Tonight, I rant about gender in comics and whatnot.
I know plenty of people have done it in the past.

I watched this tonight, and I found it very intriguing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYqYLfm1rWA
I like to think that the woman doing it was very conscious of her outfit.

The one thing she did not mention, was that when a lot of creators make Female Characters, they have to feminize everything about them. Oftentimes this leads to an over-sexualization in outfits, and Aaron Diaz has posted about this plenty of times.
http://dresdencodak.tumblr.com/

 However, one of the greatest criticisms of the overly-sexualized and skimpy outfits is that they are entirely impractical. However, the over feminization of characters goes far beyond the outfits. One of the most bothersome tropes for me anyway, is the need to give a female weaker equipment. Men are given motorcycles while women are given motor-scooters. Men are given guns while women are given bows. The fmale archer isn't always a bad thing. In The Hunger Games, Katness uses a bow because it is the most effective weapon available, and big strong Gale uses it for the same reason. (Actually, until the 1860's the bow was easily the best ranged weapon in existence.) Also, motor scooters sure beat walking long distances, but let's be honest. Why would a female action-type person purposefully choose weaker equipment? Is it because it is elegant? Is she afraid she can't control the heavier equipment? If she is afraid of a 1000 cc engine, then why is she throwing herself into battle? It just bugs me.

One example is Kate from the Marvlel's "Hawkeye, My life as a Weapon" Series, which is an awesome series with beautiful artwork, great stories, and she is an amazing character. That being said, they do tend to over feminize her. Her color is purple, and she uses a bow. That is fine, actually. She is Hawkeye's apprentice/backup/heir apparent. Hawkeye wears purple and uses a bow. So, why would she do any differently? However, her vehicles are always dainty. Not really what you would expect from the leader of her own super-hero squad. She drives a VW bug and a motor scooter. Contrast her with Cherry in the series, who dresses in all red, is not afraid to shoot people, and is introduced with a Classic Dodge Charger. Now, Kate does drive the hell out of that Dodge Charger, but why would Kate not keep an adequate vehicle of her own?

Come on people. If Kate knows she is going to be getting in and out of trouble, then she needs something big, fast, and armored, not cute and dainty. She'd want the closest thing to the Batmobiel she could buy (she is loaded). If she were going to give up the safety of a steel cage for the mauverability of two wheels, then you can be sure as hell that she, like any practical superhero, would pick something with enough horsepower to make danger a distant memory.

There in lies the major problem of the issue. The writers stopped thinking like Kate. They started asking the wrong questions. They had these aspects of the characters that they wanted to portray, and they asked themselves "How can we make Kate dainty and reserved, and Cherry powerful and sexy?" and they did it with their choice of cars. They may be a decent metaphor, but it destroys the characters. Why would someone on the run, like Cherry, choose an attention-getting car? Why would Kate choose a dangerous vehicle for her adventures? The truth is that they wouldn't. Although these decisions may lead to some cool chase scenes, the point of the stories is the characters, and the writers missed an opportunity to get in their character's heads because they were trying to portray feminine aspects about their characters through their car choices. Characters are so much more cooler, when you understand what makes them tick, and just giving them stuff to match a troupe is a waste.
Now, thankfully, I said this is an awesomely written series, and even with these tropes, the characters shine through (both in how they think and their femininity). However, when I notice stuff like this, it makes me wonder what else I am missing in a story because the author went with some kind of gender-influence symbolism as opposed to getting into the character's head.

OK, this starting to get kind of long,and I think I am missing my main point. My point is, get in the characters head and their decisions will become your decision. If you don't your stories run the risk of being stereotypical and mildly offensive.

My Chemical Lona

Lona is up at lona.mildlymiffed.com.

It is full of equations and little tidbits from high-school.

Also, I ordered business cards, for this website. In case you haven't noticed, I have been tweaking everything ever so slightly. I am really proud of my business card design. It is both inexpensive and memorable.

Anyway, I am dead and it is the weekend. I think I will try to learn a Styx song.

Lona and Science

Well, it up, enjoy our protagonist as she dives into science, quite literally.

lona.mildlymiffed.com

I was gong to spend today practicing my latest acquisition, an absolutely beautiful guitar, but I found out about this. So, I guess I am heading to Brooklyn.

comicartsbrooklyn.tumblr.com/schedule

Lona is up

Yeah, Lona.mildlymiffed.com

I am going to start talking science in the comic. Not Sci-fi, actual science with actual math to back it up. I ran through all of the methodologies, and I think what she is trying to do is legit. This is gong to be fun.

Also, I am going to try for something tomorrow. If it works, I will let you know. If you are really lucky, you might be asked to come along. You will see. Most likely, nothing will happen and I estimate my odds are about 1%. Therefore, I will more than likely being doing a certain plan B tomorrow night, which I cannot tell you about either, until it actually works.

Now, do I where a costume to work tomorrow?

Andrew

And I don't know why.

Three things.
First off, new Lona.mildlymiffed.com
I hope those from Auburn appreciate it.

Second off, I, on an ill-advised whim, I decided to go to Staten Island, and in failing repeatedly to get there I learned why New Jersey is the butt of so many jokes. Maybe it's just Newark. The rest of he state seems nice.

Thirdly, I wrote the equivalent of an electronic stress ball, in the form of a bash script on Friday. Have fun!
It runs with one argument, but if you feel adventurous, try it without any arguments and see what happens.

#!/bin/bash
FB1="Facebook"
FB2="facebook"
FB3="Facebook.com"
FB4="facebook.com"
if [ "$1" == "" ]; then
      clear
      echo "No system given."
      echo "Default: purging local machine."
      sudo sleep 1
      clear
      echo "Root access established."
      echo "Purging System..."
      echo "Shredding all files, options: -f -n 3 -z -u"
      sleep 10
      echo "Shredding all backups..."
      sleep 10
      echo "Purge complete. (Yes, it was that fast.)"
      echo "Covering tracks(1): Erasing third party logs..."
      sleep 3
      echo "Covering tracks(2): Erasing local logs..."
      sleep 1
      echo "It's like you were never here."
      sleep 35
      sudo shutdown -h now
else
      clear
      echo "Interfacing with $1 network..."
      sleep 2
      echo "Gaining access..."
      sleep 4
      echo "Root access established."
      echo "Purging System..."
      echo "Shredding all files, options: -f -n 3 -z -u"
      sleep 10
      echo "Shredding all backups..."
      sleep 15
      echo "Purge of $1 complete. (Yes, it was that fast.)"
      echo "Covering tracks(1): Erasing $1 logs..."
      sleep 1
      echo "Covering tracks(2): Erasing third party logs..."
      sleep 3
      echo "Covering tracks(3): Erasing local logs..."
      sleep 1
      echo "Bragging: Posting on $FB1, \"I just brought down the $1 computer system!\" "
      if [ "$1" == "$FB1" ]||[ "$1" == "$FB2" ]||[ "$1" == "$FB3" ]||[ "$1" == "$FB4" ]; then
            sleep 3
            echo "ERROR: cannot establish $FB1 connection."
      fi
      echo "Hacking complete."
fi

Lona is up

Go to lona.mildlymiffed.com, or just click the link to the right.

OK, I apologize for this one being late. I have two things to consider,The first is distractions that are independent from comics. The second is whether or not this comic is at all interesting to people. I like the story, but I am not sure if the whole thing really translates well to others. Is the concept good? Am I being clear? Is it completely boring? I would really like feedback. I will probably see this through, mainly because I like it and I need the practice.

I guess there is a third thing to consider, cupcakes.

Top Ten Overrated Things

Here is another top ten list from Mildlymiffed.com
Because here, we (I) can't get enough of them. It was a wise man, whose name I forget, who said, "The human being differs from lesser animals by it's penchant for top ten lists."

I feel that there are certain things that are prevalent in our culture that makes large numbers of people go all gaga and leaves the rest of us feeling that we should really be playing catch-up. There are also, other things, that small groups of people cannot shut up about, despite the rest of us telling them to do so. This list is a combination of the those two things. I give you the Mildly Miffed Top Ten list of of the Most Overrated Things on Earth. Hopefully, you will learn to be as content with their existence (and popularity) as I have learned to be.


10: Maddox                       (Not the Best Page in the Universe despite the misleading title)
9: Mocking Hipsters        (I was doing this back when everyone else was still making fun of Emos.)
8: Mad Men                       (I’m glad the Emmy’s finally figured out this one.)
7: Dating                              (It’s too stressful. I’m just doing it to prove I am not antisocial.)
6: Fantasy Football          (I like fantasy, I like football, but I just don’t think this combination is optimal.)
5: Wedding Traditions    (By all means, get married, but can we skip the chicken dance?)
4: The Grammar Police  (You understood me. Stop being a jerk. It doesn’t make you appear smarter.)
3: Bacon                               (It’s not the culinary answer to everything! Grow up, people.)
2: Getting Drunk               (OK, why would I want to impair my reasoning and motor skills?)
1: Country Music              (I have no reason to apologize.)

By the way, there is one item on this list that I actually do really like. I just feel that it is not worthy of the worship our society gives it. Also, there is one item on this that would appear in direct contradiction to my Top Ten List of the Best Things in All of Creation. I might post that later, but I am afraid everyone would question my sanity if I did.

New lona

Yeah, go to Lona.mildlymiffed.com

I apologize in advance. I am just putting ideas out there for my current draft of the project. The final draft should be a lot smoother. In the end, I think this whole project is nothing but practice anyway.

it is late, and I have places to be tomorrow. Good night.

Sience and Reason by any other name: (Stories)

I am not sure if these have gotten posted here before, I don't see them. These are what introduced David and Sylvia.

Story 1: Science By Any Other Name

"Just shoot the one whose shells keep on landing closest to us," Sylvia demanded.

"Which one is that?" asked David.

Just then one of the tanks let off a bright flash. Sylvia steadied her bat and swung. The shell went straight up.

"Hmm, a pop fly," she mused.

"Ok, I think I know which one," David said. He drew back his bowstring. The tank was maybe a mile away. He released it. The arrow vanished into the distance. "Missed!" David readied another arrow. Just then the turret of the tank sheared off the main body. "That is quite a delay. How can anything that travels so slow fly so far, and how can it then split a tank in half? In fact, the whole idea of me destroying a tank with a bow and arrow is scientifically preposterous."

"What do you mean? It's the most scientifically sound thing you could do. Incoming!" Sylvia shouted as she deflected another shell. It flew over the horizon. "We have a hypothesis that your arrows will destroy these tanks. We have run experiments where the control group was not shot by arrows and it remained intact. The experimental group of five, make that six, thanks you have shot with arrows was completely destroyed. This supports the hypothesis. Therefore, if you desire to destroy tanks, the scientific evidence supports that you should shoot them with arrows. Duck!" Sylvia was interrupted by a shell that landed just behind her. "For some reason this just happens to not agree with all of your previous scientific models. Then again, not many people in history have tried to destroy tanks using arrows. So, your six, make that seven, highly successful experiments may very well constitute the majority of research in this particular area. In the end, it all boils down to the basic question of all science. 'Does it work?'"

"But even if it does work it doesn't make any sense," David replied.

"Maybe you just need to adjust your physical model to accommodate this new information," Sylvia said as she glanced straight up. "Hmm, that shell is coming back down." She poised herself for the swing.

"You know, that actually is incredibly insightful, but when did you learn anything about science?" David asked, although he never did get a response. Sylvia swung the bat and the crack of the bat told David it was a good swing. However, the crack of the back swing against his head sent him tumbling out of bed.

"What the? What a weird dream," he blurted out before he remembered that Sylvia was probably still asleep. The room was dark except for a slight green glimmer. Looking towards the source of the glimmer, David saw a struggling pair of wings emerging from a small lab coat entangled in his dream-catcher. Removing it from the bedpost he carried it into the kitchen and freed the fairy into an old mason with several holes punched in the lid for just such an occasion. David placed the jar on a shelf next many other oddities. Hanging the dream catcher back on the post he crawled back into bed.

Sylvia stirred and asked him, "What are you up to now?"

David said in an annoyed but soft voice, "Remember to call the landlord about that hole in the screen tomorrow morning. We had a science pixy stuck in the dream catcher."

"Well that explains my dream. I was running experiments on why trolls turn to stone in direct sunlight," she muttered somewhat clearly.

"What were your conclusions?" he asked with perked curiosity.

"I have no clue. You know I don't know the first thing about science. Happy anniversary, by the way," she muttered almost incoherently as she rolled over and went back to sleep.

David shook his head. It had now been over a year since those two annoying unicorns had dragged him out of bed and made him go on the quest to save the beautiful princess from the enchanted far-off land whom he had married her almost immediately. However, many things still did not make sense. If she was really her father's greatest treasure then why did the palace guards let her just wander off into the forbidden woods? Who builds a palace next to the forbidden woods in the first place? Why didn't her father send out anyone to free her after he discovered that the evil witch had captured Sylvia? Also, why is it that after they were married Sylvia would not be able to return to her distant enchanted land until after David finished Med school, and why did the herald who bore this news look like some high school kid from the Renaissance Fair? Furthermore, if her father, the king, were so loaded, how come they had to live in this run-down one bedroom apartment in one of those neighborhoods that generally make decent folk uncomfortable at night? Yes, there were a lot questions, but one thing was for certain: after countless magical interruptions David finally had something that might actually assist him in studying for the boards.

Story 2 Reason By Any Other Name

“You have to be a little more subtle when you’re observing people. They get the wrong idea. Do you have something to show him now?” David asked

“It’s been tinkering with the inside of that black coffee-making box,” Sylvia replied.

“I see it.” Turning to the man who was now gathering his coat, David asked, “Excuse me, sir. Do you see something odd about the espresso machine?”

“Um, no I do not.” The man glared at him. The little incident (while entirely his fault) still stung his ego.

“Well, take a closer look.”

The man approached the machine slowly, and then he stopped in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes, and looked again. Then the look of shock was complete. “I thought it was a mouse at first, but mice don’t wear pointy hats or long beards.”

“Those would be gnomes. Mmm, this is good tea. Thank you, my dear.” Sylvia said, putting down her teacup.

“But, that is not possible,” he said, making a grab at the gnome.

“And yet you are holding one in your hand,” reminded Sylvia.

Then, the gnome piped up, “I pardon you, my good sir, but would you please be kind enough to put me down?” 

The man placed the gnome on the table and slumped into a chair. “This is some kind of trick, or I am losing my mind,” he said, as he watched the gnome shuffle around the volumes on the table looking for what was only known to him.

“Why do you say that?” asked Sylvia.

“Because gnomes do not exist, and if they did run around coffee shops, people would notice them. No one else notices him. Be reasonable,” the man said, regaining his composure.

David paused, as if he was gathering his thoughts. It was not necessary, but it made a good effect, and lent credibility to that which he was about to say. This sort of acting in conversation was a learned behavior from being around Sylvia, but he accepted it as one of the hazards of marriage. “Reason is only as good as the premises on which it is based. We all tend to base our thoughts on the same premises. For instance, we assume that we can reliably observe the world around us, and that our minds are not manufacturing experiences.”

“Excuse me ma’am, may I have this?” the gnome quietly asked Sylvia as he held up a loose staple.

“Yes, go ahead and take it,” she said in a hushed and hurried voice. The gnome bounced off the table onto a chair. Then he scurried towards the espresso machine power cord, which he used to scale back to the counter from which he was removed.

“From these premises, you take your observations, and come up with the conclusion that gnomes do not exist, simply because you have no recollection of observing them.” David continued, “Now, you see something which contradicts your conclusion, and instead of assuming that your conclusion was wrong, you start to question the very premises that led to your original conclusion. In essence, your no-gnome conclusion has become the new premise, and your sanity and ability to observe are now dependent on whether or not you see gnomes.”

“I would not consider it a new premise as much a sanity check, in this case in the most literal sense of the word,” replied the man in a form familiar to him, even though the conversation was not entirely comfortable.

“It really depends on your definition of sanity,” said David. “If sanity is going with what you observe, then it would be insane to not acknowledge gnomes. If sanity is going with what would appear to be universal conclusions, then it would be utterly ridiculous to acknowledge gnomes.”

“You are painting it rather subjectively,” said the man.

“Logic is based on subjectivity,” said David. “Don’t look at me like that. While logic may be a cold, clear, and unvarying path from one idea to another, the starting point is entirely up to the thinker. Since logic is a cold clear path, where one terminates is entirely dictated by where one begins. If you start with the no-gnome premise, then logically, you cannot trust your senses or mind in this situation. If you start with the premise that you can trust these observations, then you must conclude that gnomes exist. Why others don’t appear to see them, is something that I have yet to determine. Either way, the choice of what to believe is yours.”

The man just looked at him, preparing a retort, if not logical, then at least witty, when a whistling came from the espresso machine - a bad whistle. David contemplated how it sounded like a steam engine about to explode. That was one of the two sounds that things made in movies before exploding. The other sound was a beeping noise. Why someone would take the time to put a beeper on a bomb was beyond David. David was lost in thought when Sylvia, without changing her gaze from the machine, said, “My dear, I would like a piece of that chocolate cake, the one on the bottom shelf, please.” She followed the request with a quick jab from her elbow to shift David’s focus back to her. David approached the counter, and asked the barista who was leaning against the machine, seemingly oblivious to the horrid sound it was making, for the item which required her to put herself further into the cabinet than any other item. To make the whole maneuver take even longer, David bent over and took his time selecting just the right piece of cake. Just then, the espresso machine exploded in a burst of mostly steam and a little bit of shrapnel, the largest piece being a steam-cleaned gnome. The barista pulled her head up (after hitting it on the counter, of course) cake in hand. “You saved my life.”

“I just ordered cake. Are you alright? I am a doctor,” David replied.

“I’m fine,” she uttered. Then in a louder voice, “Is everyone okay?” looking over a shop full of shaken patrons. “Here, take the cake, it’s free.”

David returned to the table, placing the cake in front of Sylvia. “How did you know?”

“There are some advantages to being a princess raised in a magical land. However, that was not supposed to happen.” She took a bite.

“You’re right. Those machines don’t explode like that,” David interjected.

“No, that is not exactly to what I am referring. That box was working perfectly when I arrived here not three hours ago. Yet, as soon as the gnome began to tinker with it, it began to misbehave. Now, it has destroyed itself in a most dangerous fashion.”

“But, gnomes don’t destroy things. They fix them, and they never put people in danger while they do it. Would you agree that was a gnome?” asked David.

“I most certainly would agree that to my senses it appeared to be a gnome. Furthermore, to my recollection there is no such thing that so closely resembles a gnome. This is most disturbing.”

At this point, the gnome was regaining consciousness, and, after shaking himself off, he made a hurried exit from the premises.

Sylvia jabbed David again. He began again, “You still have a choice: accept that what you saw today was just your senses not behaving correctly or that you have been incorrect all of these years. Don’t feel bad. We now have to cope with our own disillusionment. Don’t you think that it is funny that disillusionment is seldom welcomed, but usually beneficial?”

Sylvia interrupted, “David, you are getting off-topic, again.”