THINKING + WEB COMICS
Just found a new to me amazing, simple + sweet web comic: Extra Ordinary . Has made me both smile and feel a little grim about how much time theatrical commitments took out of everything from early December ’til now. Robin Hood lighting is done and done well, I believe, and the show opens this weekend. I have decided to be more judicious choosing my collaborators henceforth.
So now I have about a month until A Midsummer Night’s Dream auditions. Which means I spent today discussing Theseus and Act 5 with my Apprentice Director (A.D.) via text. That seems to be the medium that suits us both. Midsummer aka #3dreams doesn’t feel like it cuts into my creative time because Theatre Under The Trees is what the rest of my year is planned around. And I am happy to have an A.D. to collaborate with. He was an excellent Malvolio the first time I directed Twelfth Night, is a computer or web some sort of something by profession and I offered him the position unasked when he was telling me about getting turned down for a directing gig. I think it’s an opportunity to strengthen my program by involving someone familiar with Theatre Under The Trees (four shows over the fifteen years) and yet still new to the how does a director get a show on stage process. We also talked scheduling today. Scheduling is a very important skill for any artist.
But #3dreams aside for a moment, I am finding myself wondering what (and if there actually exists) a project: writing, animating, moviemaking, cartooning, painting, something that will attract my full attention and effort. Plays have a closing date, a day to strike and move on to the next project. I’ve always avoided more open ended commitments. And not just out of fickleness or being easily distracted. Total focus is scary. Yeah, basic excuse making 101. The root of the problem. Excuse making 201 progresses to: I should be making ca$h instead of ___________. Which is why I end up writing freelance articles and chatting up people on Twitter about blogging or photography gigs. But these just interrupt EVERYTHING.
Which brings us back to webcomics. Have been having some good conversations (Twitter, be there!) with the guys at AlphaBallistic. They post an urban hero action with a humorous flair comic every Thursday. I like my humor with some kick ass mixed in so I’m enjoying it. I also have mad respect for their consistency. This is one of the foundations to a successful web comic. I’ve seen some that started out with very unpolished art — Questionable Content for one — but over years(!!!), art and story improved and fans came and stayed loyal.
I have a lot of fun on the Blink Kitty Love Twitter feed, but the band wasn’t really designed for continuing story lines. They represent a way for me to split my personality and comment on what’s amusing me, bothering me or (most important), Blink Kitty Love (band website) gives me a blessed excuse to be silly. Which is something I need to do more. It’s relaxing. Maybe I should invest what will be too large a percentage of my next article ca$h in something Nerf and fun. I’ve started playing basketball again. I have good conversations with myself on the court.
I have been posting Wednesday and Sunday art regularly on the Blink Kitty Love Signs of The iApocalypso Tumblr, which is a good challenge for me. Where the band goes next, I have no idea, although one of the maybe I need to let it catch my attention options is a spinoff comic. I find myself missing the goofy joy of just zinging out an animation though.
Ok, here’s a list of the web comics I read on a daily or weekly basis:
Also, Cool Jerk is fun, although I seem to catch it less often than I’d like to.
Others that catch my eye less frequently can be found on the @blinkkittylove comics list, along with comic writers and artists. Suggest one if you have a favorite.
And I’ll leave you with a very early animation, I think. How about having an Anxiety Attack:
Lonelypond Presents 