atomic size matters to quasicrystals!

Well, well, well! The book almost made it for my birthday! Indeed, if I consider it an extended weekend, then it's right on time!
When I had backed this kickstarter project in February, I had been very impressed with Veronica Berns' intent. She was so excited about the research work she was doing for her doctoral thesis that she wanted folks who knew and loved her to have some understanding of it. She decided to construct a comic book to decrease the fear factor that many folks have at the word "chemistry".
I don't have the time to read it right now. I am about to embark on a trip to Alabama, north Georgia, and North Carolina. I know I will be quite busy with family every day.
However, after that, I'll be off to south Florida for two weeks. That will be a solo journey and I'll try to read the book during that part of my summer vacation.
So... stay tuned!

atomic size matters

I needed to do something positive today.
Earlier, I found out about the deaths of two women in my social circles. I wasn't as close to them as I might one day have been, as our friendships are still fairly new.
Nonetheless, their deaths have left a dark place in my psyche.
How better to remedy the loss than by helping with the creation of something new?
As a chemist, this kickstarter project truly speaks to me. Veronica Berns, a recent doctoral graduate in chemistry, has inked a comic book to help explain solid state chemistry to her family and friends.
Pretty nifty, right?
What is solid state chemistry?
You know, the stacking of atoms to create micro-scale versions of old-fashioned vacuum tubes and transistors to help your computers, laptops, and even phones be "smart" for you, while still being physically small and lightweight. A scant 35 years ago, I was an electronics maintenance technician for the US Navy's "modern" computers, machines which were the size of refrigerators and required their own sterile, cool, environments - and had a fraction of the operating memory of today's electronic toys.
That's less than two generations ago! Amazing!
But I digress, as I am known to do...
(smile)
My $29 is not really needed by her campaign. Her science project has struck a chord and has garnered more than double the amount she had set as her goal.
Amazing! Does my heart good to know there are more than five hundred nerds like me who want a copy of her book. I wonder how many of the backers are also teachers like me?
I'll look forward to its shipment in May - just in time for my birthday!
Nice!

new horizon artwork on my wall!

There he is, lolling on my kickstarter wall, gazing at the window!
Looks right at home, doesn't he?
Yes, this art print from Jeremy Lawson, the man behind "Horizon Anthology: Volume One", features a young man who could have stepped right out of its pages.
A young man in search of adventure!
I like that!

Over here?
This young woman is just fine
on her own,
thank you very much.
I like to think that Morgan Beem
was continuing the tale of
Snow White's daughter,
now grown and able to slay wolves for herself.
Notice that nice fur coat
against that pinked alabaster skin!
I'm still looking for the right frame,
but she'll be up on the wall one day soon.
I promise!

up to the horizon and beyond!

Finally!
Not to mean "finally this has arrived" - oh, no. Jeremy Lawson did a fabulous job of getting rewards out to his kickstarter backers. I think I received my copy of the "Horizon Anthology: Volume One" in October, or possibly early November.
No, I remember now. It was definitely before the end of October.
All I can say for sure is this: I've read the book several times and truly love many of the fifteen tales! I've even made little notes so I can talk about the stories!
I just haven't carved out the niche in my schedule to sit here, in the laptop's glow, and share those notes.
No time like the present! Classes begin on Monday and that would only cause more delay.
Why did I support this project?
Because of my affinity for "The Incredibles", as I mentioned before.
Because I want to know "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would have said.
Because this is the only form of "what if" I like to play.
(smile)
So, let's take a gander, shall we?
But do we do so in order of appearance, or type, or author's last name?
Hmmm... reverse alphabetical it is!
David Stoll's "Ember" presents a king mired in settling petty squabbles instead of slaying dragons as he once did. Sigh. Enter two clueless hunters, add a switcheroo, and stir mightily! Great fun!
"Options" takes a different tack. Sarah Stern poses the question: What would you do if your evil lord died and you were free to follow your dream? Would "open a bakery" be your first choice??? Well, as it turns out, you might want be well advised to consider that, as it allows you to use pastry to win over your former enemies. Very nice! Lots of bright colors, too.
"Happily Ever After" is explored directly by Nicky Soh. A little boy is playing with his toys, acting out his favorite bedtime story about the Warrior and the Evil Witch Queen. Enter mom and dad... and blur the line between myth and reality! Cool! The simple lines and bright colors enhance its feel as a child's fairy tale. Nice work!
"Sun and Moon" has to be one of the sweetest love stories in the book. Between a prince and princess? No, my dear, between a boy and his grandma. Ally Shwed has crafted a gentle tale of keeping hope alive in a devastated future world. Beautifully done!
Laura Neubert's "Cast In Stone" merges Greek mythology with the world of modern thespians for something a bit different. Very nice retelling of Medusa's origin, too! This was also one of the few tales which didn't feature princes or princesses or royalty of any kind - quite original!
For this next one, may I suggest a soundtrack? Go ahead and tune up Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water". Seriously. I'll wait.
You need that for the driving action behind Moses Nestor's futuristic tale of humans and aliens. "Fire On The Horizon" is inked with deep flame reds and cool ocean blues and speaks a story of love. I really liked it!
In an odd way, it brought to mind Rinko Endo's story, "The Same Moon". I guess that makes it a "speculative relationship", too.
(smile)
Ian McGinty's "TRIBE." left me cold, despite the snugglies worn by his futuristic clan.
(smile)
Set in a world made barren by a dying sun, I'm sure that's the reaction he intended. Check and mate, sir!
Should I stay or should I go? That's the question of all three of Jeremy Lawson's characters in "Adrift". (Here's the song from The Clash for your wanderin' toes.) Is it nobler to forsake the familiar to roam the Earth or to stay and fight for what is local? So asks the fry cook aloud, the hired hand of himself, and the returning hero by his actions. Nice bit of philosophy there!
Hahaha! "The Adventures of Wilt and Zeed: Dragon Slayers" had a nice comedic twist at the end! Bryant LaMare is obviously riffing on Bill and Ted, which is cool by me - I love those guys! This finds the two adventurers as a human and an alien, on an alien planet, fighting to save the WORLD!!! It really is quite funny and has some interesting details in the backgrounds. (I like the shadows on the walls.)
Jen Hickman provides us a prince, not living too happily. Sure, he's married the fair maiden of his dreams and defeated the evil conjuror and his minions... but, now what? The thrill is gone, as B.B. King would attest. "Mind The Gap", y'all, between what you think you want and what you actually need, or the bad guy gets the last laugh!
Adam Del Re has a nice sense of humor, too. Take one knight, deep in a castle after slaying the dragon, now on "The Way Out". Or he would be if he could remember the path - poor guy! A neon EXIT sign sure would have helped!
(I can so relate to his predicament! Without my Garmin Nuvi, I am easily lost.)
"No More Villains" was the only collaborative piece in the anthology, crafted between Angael Davis (author and drawer) and Patricia Daguisan (colors). Here, we have a man in the midst of an identity crisis, confused about which type of person he is. His kids, on the other hand, aren't confused at all and set him straight! Lovely story, rich purples and soft crimsons in the palette, and a protagonist with a great family!
A similar theme runs through "Mr. Victory in the Age of Suburbia": a man with an identity crisis, though his is softened by age. Athena Currier's former hero has a close resemblance to Prince Valiant, down to the pageboy hairdo, but now he's an older family man. Still, he ponders the questions of life as he fetches milk from the local grocer... a very nice tale about appreciating becoming older. Even the color scheme speaks of a fading sunset with its soft yellows, muted salmons, and dusky grays.
Or maybe that's just how I relate to it, now that I'm in that middle-aged stage of life.
(smile)
Jorge Corona's tale, as the last in this book, takes us one step closer to the endgame of man's existence. "A Lifelong Battle" follows an aged warrior king as he refuses to go gentle into that good night, even after many years with a quiet reign. Nicely done tale of death with dignity.
Tales of aging men are plentiful, but what about those aging princesses? Who speaks of them? Morgan Beem does, in the very first story in this anthology. Snow White, "Fairest of Them All", has wed the prince, become queen, and birthed a beautiful daughter. And so the trouble begins. As her daughter blossoms, her own flower is fading, as is her self esteem. What to do?
Well, you'll have to read that story for yourself, won't you?
I'm so glad to have been part of this grand adventure!

hopeful musings on speculative relationships

When I received the hardcopy of the book, I also received this print.
I immediately hung it on my kickstarter wall.
Mike Manomivibul's oh-so-romantic image strikes a chord deep within my being, the need of a living creature to connect with another.
(swoon)
I wish I could say my reaction to his story, "Made 2 Be 2gether", was as strong. Sadly, I found the imagery to be confusing, even though the page layouts clearly speak of his poetic heart. I fear the loss of understanding is certainly mine.
I do pledge to continue to strive to understand this tale of two robots, separated by man's greed and war. His is the only one that I cannot quite "get." Perhaps you could read it and let me know your take on it?
Here's the link to the store. Trust me, the pittance asked for this anthology, with art inked by six different artists, will be money well spent.
Not yet convinced? Let's see if I can convince your head that this is deserving of your heart and your wallet.
Tyrell Cannon and Scott Kroll are the men behind the concept. Each have two contributions which serve to bookend the tales in this kickstarter-funded anthology. Cannon's "Burning Heart" would have been right at home in the mid 1900's with the science fiction romances of that period. He presents a husband and wife scientific team, trying to save a dying planet... and their dying relationship. Very nicely done!
His other tale, a sweet one at the end of the book, has two astronauts who used to pass each other in "Corridor-C", secretly attracted but silent. Suddenly, circumstances shift and they discover each other. But is their discovery too late?
Kroll's two pieces are very different from each other, with only one containing humans. "This Thing Called Love" features an automaton which feigns ignorance while acting as a matchmaker for two human coworkers. Nice grokspanner, there!
(smile!)
"4 Out Of 5" is a distinctly different tale, not only from Kroll's other piece, but from every other tale in the book. It poses the query of what to do when you have only four of the five genders needed for gratification. Interesting, right? The starfish-like pentopuses are distinguishable by their upper markings, so pay attention... or purchase the "Making Love" zine for the key. (You can even read this tale on his tumblr site.)
The last of the male writers, Daniel Warren Johnson, is another "Calvin And Hobbes" fan, like Tyrell Cannon... and me! Not that Watterson's work has anything in common with Johnson's tale, "The Purest Form". No, look more to the futuristic Marines of Space-Mullet to find out what drives this warrior to success on the battlefield.
Of the two entries by female artists, I have already waxed rhapsodic about the beautiful tale of love by Rinko Endo. "The Same Moon" remains my favorite in this anthology, with its fabulous ink work and wistful tone. (She's an art therapist, by the way, so she has experience at opening herself up, through drawing, and encourages others to also do so.)
Isabella Rotman is a talented young woman, too, using her art as self-therapy. Brava! "The Dream Program" considers the case of a machine which falls in love with one of the humans in its charge. Beautifully inked, floral and lush... with a nice twist in the tale itself.
So, you see, there is an excellent variety of stories here, just as love has many sides to consider, whether one is human, alien, or machine. I highly recommend the book.
Highly.
I am so proud of these writers! Bravo to all!

the android's astrological companion

Yes, I have already completed the categories for "Art", "Comics", and "Literature". Those pieces of my kickstarter backer "pie" were completed quite a while back, multiple times.
But I couldn't resist!
You see, I like the name, too. It reminds me of Tanith Lee's "The Silver Metal Lover" and Isaac Asimov's robot novels that I so enjoyed in my younger years.
This art book of short stories promises to be quite lovely and will be right at home beside my copy of "Speculative Relationships", wouldn't you agree? I think they will be a most winning couple!
I do so appreciate Cody Vrosh providing me an opportunity to help bring this project to life. Honestly, I don't know that he really needs to utilize the services of kickstarter to advance his work. He already has his own bookpress and screenprinting workshop, known as Binary Winter.
Perhaps he's simply wanting to spread the gospel, too.
That dieselpunk-flavored, modern creed with comic coloration.
One NOVA-sized cup for me, please!
That means my paltry forty-three dollars will gain the PDF, the signed hardback copy of the book, AND a signed print - of my choice! I'll make sure my "Kickstarter Rewards Wall" has a waiting space beside the cover print from "Speculative Relationships".
Together on the wall AND on the bookshelf!
That's for sure, too. This is another project I'm joining late, as its active time ends tomorrow. This is also another project which has well outstripped its funding goal. The creator has chosen to expand the rewards into additional levels as "stretch goals" are reached.
In fact, I'll not only receive the NOVA package, but also an additional book! This one is titled "The Zodiac of Teeth" and should make friends easily on the bookshelf with "Creature disComforts".
Very nice perk!

speculative relationships at the broken hearts table

I really needed this today.
The finished products are not yet on their way, but I received two emails from kickstarter projects I've backed.
The second arrived this afternoon, from Scott Kroll, of "Speculative Relationships: A SciFi Romance Comics Anthology". As part of the rewards for my support, I have been granted early access to the finished product, via weblink. I was also sent the weblink for the backstory on the making of the anthology.
(If you want them, just click here for the anthology and here for the "Making Love" ezine. Well worth the sawbuck for the pair!)
Beautiful! Just the thing I needed to help clear my mind from the great loss I have felt for the past two days.
The story I chose to read first was Rinko Endo's, "The Same Moon". Anyone who knows me will affirm that I have an attraction to the moon, whether beneficial or maddening depends on the day.
(smile)
Her tale was just the therapy I needed. Such a sweet story about a thug and her healer! I don't know why, but I could totally relate to the thug. Perhaps it's from my recently dregged memories of my days as a sailor in Panama, when I had weapons practice every month for proficiency with 45's and M-16's. That was necessary in case the secured facility where I worked was ever overrun by terrorists.
I was very skilled with those weapons.
I really loved her story.
I'm going to ration out the stories, maybe read just one a day for the next week or so, make them last a bit longer. That will allow me to get the full benefit of each, to better appreciate both the artistry of the work and the tale itself.
I've skimmed through the "Making Love" 'zine. Nice little tidbits in there for each artist - very nicely arranged! I look forward to taking my time and perusing every page, at a leisurely pace, perhaps while sipping a cup of hot tea and periodically glancing out at a weeping sky...
The other reward actually arrived by email on Wednesday, but I was a bit swamped at the time. You see, I teach and I had scheduled a test for my students that day. Then, last Friday, I had diddybopped off to Atlanta for Dragon*Con, test unwritten. I ended up spending most of Tuesday and Wednesday making up for my fun weekend.
(Still worth it!)
This afternoon, while awaiting the last inning and a half of a championship playoff game, i was taking care of a backlog of emails. Fortunately, a soundtrack was awaiting me, buried in the forwarded jokes and transferred photos and fb messages.
Those hard-working Titshaw brothers, whilst making their next film, "The Broken Hearts Table", had taken a time-out to compile a songlist.
No, the movie is not a musical.
These "Monthly Music Mixes (lasting one-year) that inspired The Broken Hearts Table" began this month. Woohoo! Fourteen songs, all by different artists, some remakes of old favorites, some new tunes, most absolutely without equal. "Sad, Sad City", by Ghostland Observatory, and Mayer Hawthorne's "A Long Time" were especially welcomed by my exhausted brain.
Actually, their September Music Mix is quite good for reading about Speculative Relationships. Seriously. That Ghostland Observatory tune is especially, and incredibly, appropriate.
I'll have to check and see if the brothers will allow me to release their playlist, so you can judge the truth of my words.

speculative relationships: a sci-fi romance comics anthology

I could most definitely use a little romance in my life.
Everyone can, n'est-ce pas?
When it comes to love between different species, science fiction has always been there to say: why not?
Tyrell Cannon and the other five artists in this 80-page collection agree with that philosophy. Together, they have contributed eight stories to stroke that romantic beast purring deep in my soul.
Mike Manomivibul, in conjunction with providing the cover art for the book, has a tale of two robots, searching the world over to be reunited. To be perfectly honest, it is that cover art, with the questing hand reaching out for the touch of another, that captured my heart. I'll hope his story bears up to that predispostion on my part.
Isabella Rotman offers dreamers on a traveling spaceship. Her art is lush and has a medieval fantasy edge. Very pretty!
Daniel Warren Johnson combines action and comedy in his other work. This tale of a cyborg in an alien war promises to keep the attention point on!
Rinko Endo is an art therapist, offering her tale through a manga lens. The star-crossed love tapestry of an alien and a human is of the ages, but newly woven.
Scott Kroll has two contributions to the anthology. The story which most has my interest postulates a five-gendered species, with love only if all are present. I wonder if they will have flavors, like quarks do?
Then there's the initiator of this kickstarter campaign, Tyrell Cannon. He also contributes two pieces, one which speaks in the voice of "Gravity", while the other features a modern chapter in the Adam and Eve saga.
Can you tell I'm hooked?
Apparently, I'm not the only one. Four hundred, thirty-seven others made sure they had surpassed their $9000 goal yesterday.
So, as the 438th backer, I've added $28 of birthday money to their pile, to help make this book the best it can be.
I'm committing to Going Steady with them. In return, I'm getting pinned in the form of a physical copy fo the book to hold in my hands and close to my heart, a print of the cover to frame and hang on the wall above my bed, and a PDF of the "Making Love" zine, so I will know all the work which was done to make this love my own.
I am nearly breathless with antici-pa-tion!

horizon anthology

This anthology poses the question: What happens after the hero wins?
Indeed, what does happen?
"The Incredibles" showed us the aftermath. All of the heroes were forced to go undercover, forgo their super-identities, phase their superpowers into "standby" mode. Sure, eventually, an evil power forces them back into the open, but again clad in their supergarb. After that evil uprising is quelled, they continue living as (near)regular folks, at least in appearance, when not called into action.
Jeremy Lawson, the initiator of this kickstarter project, has joined up with fourteen other talented artists, from near and far. Together, they have created a 144-page, full-color work of visual literature, which they want to share with us.
Nice, right?
The ringleader is a Savannah artist, transplanted from Texas (but we won't hold that against him). (smile!) He's done a great job of keeping interest alive in the project. They're on their last day today and are more than $1000 over their original goal! Woohoo!!!
Now, there's a push to try to hit that magical $10,000 mark. You want your copy of the book to be hardcover, right? I would!
So, more of my birthday money into a worthy creation! I've sent them forty-four buckaroos. As my reward, I'll be receiving a copy of the book, of course, with my name in the acknowledgements. Nice!!!
I'll also receive a PDF download of the book and a digital wallpaper pack of the cover art.
That's pretty nice, too!
And, because they had attained their initial goal, I will also be granted two Kickstarter Exclusive art prints!!! Sah-weet!!!
Now, let's hope they hit that hardcover stretch goal...

silencer, out to do good in the world

Yesterday, my dear friend Hai turned 34. I gave him this kickstarter reward.
Why?
Well, he is, and has perhaps always been, a big fan of comic books and graphic novels.
Secondly, he recently shared with me that he is an artist (he draws and his mom gave him a nice set of colored pencils for his birthday this year).
And, like the guys in Silencer, he was a college student until his graduation a year ago.
Also like them, he is a techhead (though he tries to keep that part quiet).
These are all valid reasons for this first issue being an ideal gift for him.
Mostly, though, I think I gave it to him in memory of Sam Johnson.

You see, Sam and Hai became friends at The Comic Box, years ago.
The memory of my dear friend Sam was the reason I backed this project three years ago.
Sam, aka Blaxstone, was very much into Superman lore and always rooted for good to triumph over the evil in the world.
Hai tells me he is working on being one of the good guys.
I hope Silencer will encourage him along his path.

Now, lest you think I didn't make a back-up copy of the issue, try again.
Of course I did.
It won't have the quality of the original, but I can enjoy it whenever I want.
But it's good to know that someone who will cherish it as I did now owns it.
Safe hands.

fliss of kickstarter

Lately, I've been announcing myself to be "Fliss of Kickstarter" to folks. Well, not to say that I'm going around town doing that, of course; I've done it on LinkedIn, as I invite those I have supported to join my network there. People might think I had lost my mind more so than normal if I proclaimed in person my presence as Fliss of Kickstarter. But I believe in my heart the philosophy expressed by Robin Williams in an interview, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.".
My spark of madness seems to manifest as doing good unto others.
I know, strange superpower, right?
Still, as Fliss of Kickstarter, I am able to do good by helping the dreams of others to come true. In turn, I receive a rekindling of the fire in my soul, the fire which keeps my heart from becoming chilled by the deep sadness of the world.
I also, as I have written much of late, received some physical manifestations of dreams made real. I truly do enjoy that; it's always heartwarming to see a new tree bring forth first the flowers of things to come, then actual fruit for all to enjoy. Sweet!
Today, I shared an especially juicy morsel with my dear friend Hai. Tomorrow is his birthday.
He is aware that I have backed some projects on kickstarter, as I have talked about a couple of times of late. I've worn two of my rewards, T-shirts from "The Restaurant Job" and the SeeSAW Muralcle.
I had already let him watch one of the films I had supported. His forte is film and theatre, academically, and I thought he would appreciate the uniqueness of the film "Chalk Talk", which has no dialogue except written words on a chalkboard. Yeah, it is a bit of a "chick flick" - but he did watch the whole thing and seemed to enjoy it before he headed off to other venues.
Hai has a lot of creative interests, including drawing, comic books, and superheroes. So, in honor of his birthday, what better gift could I give than Silencer? This first edition, brand new superhero, created by Ethan Wright, is the best way to show him how very special he is to me.
So, now that I have gone all sappy, one last message: I love you, Hai! Happy 34th!

silencer

Sometimes, you have to have patience.
Correction: most of the time, you have to have patience.
But the reward can be very much worth the wait.

When I first saw this project on kickstarter, I was intrigued by the concept of two college students becoming superheroes. College students? This could be interesting!
The fact that the project was local helped.
And so, in memory of The Comic Box and my dear friend Sam Johnson, I selected this project to receive some of the funds from Mama's estate.
That was November of 2011.
One of the artists dropped out, life intervened, but the leader of the project, Ethan Wright, persevered and prevailed. The end result is well worth the wait.
I wonder when Issue 2 will hit the stands?
And who to share this gem with first??

silencer, advent of technology

I think Blaxstone would have approved.
Ethan Wright has a dream of creating a new superhero, a college student.
And he has brought that dream to kickstarter to garner the needed funds.
I managed to clock in just under the wire with my backing of his cause.
Whew!
This is my first funding of a comic book.
No, no, no, you may say. What about Chromazoid?
Ah, there is a difference, mi amigo. That was an anthology, which means multiple artists submitted their individual comics for the collection.
THIS will be a single story line, from one group of artists/writers.
A unique story line, I might add.
I'm going to look forward to that very much.
I only wish The Comic Box was still around so I could share it with the good folks there.

chromazoid: comics anthology and mix tape

Okay, I thought about just putting in the widget, but the video rocks!
So, that's what I chose.
How did I choose this project, of all the possibilities on kickstarter?
Well, I was cruising through the "Ending Soon" ventures and there it was, with its lurid, day-glo colors and crazy name and promise of music to accompany my reading enjoyment.
Say what?
That's right: as far as I know, this is the first-ever deliberate creation of a soundtrack for reading comics. Moreover, for the nine comics in the Chromazoid anthology, there will be nine songs, each inspired by the comic for which they will be background music. Isn't that WILD??? Reading-enhancement soundtracks - what a novel idea!!!
Here's its bloglink so you can follow along, too.
And here's a teaser of things to come, posted in their "updates" on kickstarter:
Update #2
Oct 24, 2011
51 BACKERS!

Thanks to all of you who've backed this project so far! We've passed the 50 backer mark, and I hope we'll pass the 100 backer mark too! Please tell others about Chromazoid!

Here's an impassioned description of some of the stories in the book by our very own Nick Jackson:

"tales of English schoolchildren, domestic strife between a cat and a snake, a tragic opera of love and betrayal between dog and master, we're talking stories about cosmic blood-borne pathogens, about catching mer-apes in fishing nets, about crystals. It includes a mix-tape of artists across the country- all music directly inspired by the comics- folkies, sludge-punks, an experimental clarinetist, wailing brass- it's there."

How could I resist?
I could not.
Yeah!!!