News

This is probably one of the meaner weekend cliffhangers I've done lately. The difference is that we'll likely know Katya's fate come Monday, while Nimmel is left hanging for what seems to be an indefinite amount of time.

Maybe it's because I'm in a bad mood. Yesterday CISPA was amended (horribly) and passed on a rushed vote through the House of Representatives. The broad language and vague definitions that seem to plague these "cybersecurity" bills worries me to no end, and I hope this one is not signed into law. It's worth keeping an eye on this issue.

I wish I had some more fun stuff to talk about today, like anything concerning comic books, video games, my (very amateur) photography or (very very very amateur) astronomy, but sadly there just isn't any news worthy items.

Oh. There is one thing. It's overly sappy and romantic, so if you want to avoid a toothache stop reading now and I'll see you on Monday.

This Sunday it'll have been six months since I married the love of my life, Alyssa. I love you, hon. I don't know what I'd do without you.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on, and have a nice weekend.

In my mind, Alduraithel's eruption sounds very much like the explosion of a biotic combo in Mass Effect. There's just something about that sound that sends a chill up my spine. Maybe it sounds more like a violent, fleshy, splattery sound to you. Maybe it's some combination of both. Whatever it may be, it's ultimately up to you and your imagination.

I haven't been as politically outspoken down here in the news box as I have in the past. I'm still vocal about my political views, but mostly on my Twitter feed and Facebook page. I took exception to this a few months ago when I took part in the now-famous SOPA/PIPA Blackout. I'll talk internet freedom and privacy here since, for me, it's as much of a workplace issue as a political issue.

CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act) is going up for vote in the House of Representatives tomorrow, and it's been called "worse than SOPA." There's already been some mounting opposition against it, even from the White House itself. This looks like it's going to get interesting, so it's worth keeping an eye on further developments. Or, if you're feeling more active about it, contact your Congressional representative and let them know what you think of this proposed bill before it goes to vote.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

Things look increasingly bad, huh? But don't worry. It'll all be over soon. Or is it already over for some of them? Now I'm all worried, too! Gaaah!

New comic books hit the shelves today, and I still have to get back into the habit of visiting my local comic book shop. I do miss the nice folks who work there (like the Salmon of Justice!) but the motivation has been lacking. A good story is a powerful motivator, but lackluster stories are equally powerful deterrents.

Speaking of comic bookery, SuperGreg vs. Snowsong should be available next month, barring any printing disasters or delays. I'm hoping to have it up for sale in time for A-KON, but you never know when problems may arise. Here's hoping I can avoid an episode like that entirely this year.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on and geek out.

Nimmel's predicament may look dire, but I'm still in a great mood from Anime St. Louis. I want to say "hi" to a couple of people. Besides Dirk, who I've mentioned a few times already.

I want to give a shout to That Guy With The Glasses for not only being fun to hang out with, but for giving me some insightful advice on my "Writing Unique Heroes & Memorable Villains panel, forgiving me for being slightly grumpy last year (in my defense, all Italians are grouchy when they haven't eaten) and for sharing my bitter hatred of Moulin Rouge.

I also want to give a shout to Steve Argyle, who is not only a gentleman and a stellar artist, but shares my love of fine beer, Japanese food and wine, and wickedly dressed villainesses.

The Anime St. Louis guest relations staff welcomed me with open arms, and I want to thank them as well. Ally, I hope you enjoyed your "night out with the boys!" Cat, thanks for the late-night taco run! Thanks for the various rides over the weekend, Steven! And thanks to everyone else whose names I have criminally forgotten (like the gentleman who drove me to the airport two years in a row, the chefs in the green room, and the fine fellow who welcomed me to the dealers room) for making this weekend so memorable.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

ANIME ST. LOUIS was a blast, but as of this writing I've come home very late and I'm exhausted. As promised, there is a filler sketch in place of a comic today. I received some very generous help.

Kate, the guest werewolf tangling with Alduraithel, appears courtesy of PARADIGM SHIFT. Many thanks to Dirk Tiede for the Monday filler, and for letting me wrap a tentacle-esque monster around his comic's main character.

Insert whatever jokes you'd like about furry characters, anime conventions and tentacle monsters here.

The comic resumes tomorrow.



That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

You may have noticed that Alduraithel was spying on Milov, Jayden, Katya and Nimmel with only four of his five eyes last week. Now we know why.

I'm at ANIME ST. LOUIS today through Sunday! Come by and say "hi" if you're in the area! It should be a fun time!

There will likely be filler on Monday, as I'll be arriving back home late on Sunday night.




That's all from me for now.
Rock on, and I hope to see you in St. Louis!

Anyone who knows me can tell you that anything concerning eyeballs creeps me out. Big time. I love gory movies and slasher films, but as soon as anything starts happening to anyone's eyes I have to leave the room. I think I may have fainted when I watched A Clockwork Orange.

Happy birthday, Alyssa! I love you so much and I wish I could be with you today, but I'm headed off to ANIME ST. LOUIS to check in and do all that pre-convention preparation. I promise I'll bring you back something super cute from the dealer's room!

The comic will update tomorrow normally, but there may be filler on Monday. I'll see if I can convince my fellow guest and weekend roommate Dirk Tiede to help me put together something cool for the likely Monday filler.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

Other than my attendance at ANIME ST. LOUIS this weekend, there's not a lot of news to report today. Oh, I'll be giving my Writing Unique Heroes & Memorable Villains talk at the convention, so be sure to catch that if you haven't seen it yet. It's always a good time and lots of people seem to enjoy it. I guess that's why conventions keep letting me do it!

Let's see. I guess there are some geeky things I could mention:

- I really enjoy Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer. I love the Mass Effect universe and cooperative gameplay, not to mention the great alien races that are playable (if you're lucky enough to unlock them). I'm partial to my Quarian Engineer (a la Tali), my Asari Justicar (a la Samara), and the Striker Assault Rifle on any Soldier class. That thing is like firing a metal concert.

- I stopped playing Star Wars: The Old Republic for awhile (mostly because of Mass Effect) but their Legacy update has really rekindled my interest. I can't wait to unlock all the new character options that are tempting me like a wonderful, nerdy siren's call.

- I need to get back into the habit of going to my local comic book store. Not because I'm terribly invested in many current titles, but I miss the people who work there. I'm lookin' at you, Salmon of Justice! (which is such an inside joke I'm not even going to attempt to explain it)

That's all from me for now.
Rock on and geek out.

Alduraithel is kind of like the virus from hell. Some viruses just give us you a cold or a fever. He can rip you apart with his magic.

I do not function well when my wife goes away. I tend to mope around the apartment like an unattended puppy. If I didn't have a comic to do I'd probably just sit by the front door, waiting for it to open with big puppy-dog eyes. Well, I wear glasses, so it's more like all four of my puppy-dog eyes.

I hope she doesn't act the same way when I go off to conventions, like to ANIME ST. LOUIS this weekend. But I at least know that she's got better company when I'm away. Our cats don't sleep by my feet when it's just me in the bed at night, but she does not have that problem. Picky little pussycats.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

For those of you who remember Snert from previous appearances, it should be noted that his eyes have never done what they're doing today.

I did it! I finally caught up with all my emails over the weekend! I'm back in business for keeping my 2012 resolution! I'm going to be doing my best to reply to your questions and comments as promptly as possible. So feel free to send me any feedback concerning the comic, the characters, the storylines, and everything in between!

This weekend I return to ANIME ST. LOUIS! This is a great show that's seen a lot of growth over the years and I'm so happy they asked me to return as one of their guests. Be sure to stop by and say "hi" if you're in the area!

And I was finally able to get Meshuggah's new album, KOLOSS. It's a monster of an album that I'm going to need a week or two to fully appreciate, but so far I'm blown away.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

In case you thought today's comic was too sappy or happy, there's a lurking presence that may look a little familiar to darken the mood.

I felt this moment was necessary for these "couples" (even though none of them are romantically involved), but a reminder of the dangers around them was also necessary. I think Alduraithel's spying did the trick nicely. Whether he's helping or hurting remains to be seen (no pun intended).

If today's comic were to have a soundtrack, it would be the fourth movement of Rachmaninoff's "All-Night Vigil." There are many excellent recordings of this masterpiece, but this one is my favorite. Even if you think it doesn't go with today's strip, it's still an achingly beautiful piece of music.

Besides having a superheroic weekend planned, I'm also going to be finally catching up on my e-mails this weekend. I've fallen back into old habits and refuse to let it slide. Anyone who's written me an email within the past month or so should have a reply by Sunday. If you don't get a reply, your email may have gone to my junk mail folder so feel free to poke me again. I made a resolution for 2012 and I'm going to stick to it!

That's all from me for now.
Rock on and have a nice weekend!

Nimmel is truly Dominic's student when it comes to showing restraint when a friend needs to be comforted.

It's also not the first time Katya has snapped at Nimmel. Jayden just seems to have that effect on her lately.

I'm planning on having a superheroic weekend. Although my trips to the comic shop are becoming more infrequent, my love of comics and the superhero genre remains strong. Since Alyssa is away this weekend, I plan on putting the finishing touches on the upcoming SuperGreg vs. Snowsong collection (which will be in comic book form) and getting back to work on an unrelated superhero side project that I've been sadly neglecting these past few months. I may also put on a cape while I clean the apartment. Maybe.

And next week it's off to ANIME ST. LOUIS! I'm flattered that they asked me to come back this year and I'm excited to return! Be sure to stop by and say "hi" if you're in the area!

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

No news to report today. Some days are just slower than others when it comes to relevant stuff to talk about down here.




Hm.




Yep.




Still nothing.



That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

Nimmel Feenix has faced many dangers in his relatively short years as a wizard. Here's a reminder as to what he's gone up against.

A heartless infernomancer...

...himself...

...a wicked and spiteful elemental changeling...

...a gathering of werewolf elders and alphas...

...a haunting demon knight...

...and college werewolves.

Nimmel's been through a lot already, with a fair share of wins and losses. Is "the Phoenix" up for this latest challenge? I hope so.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.

I'm exhausted from a very memorable Anime Boston, so I'll keep today's news post relatively short.

This weekend rawked.


The adorable image in place of the comic was generously provided by Sanchay, while the rocking image down here in the news box was provided by ElicaDragon! Thank you both for the wonderful fan art!

The comic resumes tomorrow.

That's all from me for now.
Rock on.