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Eric: A brief foray into self promotion.
Hi all! It's actually a pretty good morning to be... well, me. So, I thought I'd share.
Because... well, because. I do pay the bills.
We'll start with the actual news. The latest issue of the Webcomics Examiner is out. This is a bright and cheerful issue with many nice things said about many people. The most interesting section to me -- though admittedly I'm not a part of it, so maybe it doesn't deserve to be in a "self promotion" post -- is the section on their advisory board's picks for the Best Webcomics of 2005. It's a really interesting list, and while I can think of a few comics they didn't put on there, I have no problem at all with any of the comics they did put on there. Go have a look! If you see a comic you don't read on that list... you should probably at least give it a try.
The "self-promotion" part of the Examiner is part two of the Artistic History of Webcomics Roundtable that Wednesday and I participated in. As with part one, there are bits I agree with, bits I disagree with, and bits I actually wrote, so duh. You'll also recall that part one led to a certain amount of drama. Now, I'm not saying part two will as well. However, if it does you don't want to get caught out, feeling all "man, why didn't I get to be a part of all the drama." Don't make that mistake. Read it now, and be ready for any drama that results.
As has been reported in Comixpedia (for some value of reported equal to "Eric wrote and submitted a press release written so it sounded like it was news instead of blatant advertising), Gossamer Commons enters a new phase today. We're trying something different, in the wake of Greg's stepping behind the scenes and before Peter starts in as the next artist in the new rotation. This is going to be a fairy tale, told by the lead character Keith's grandmother to a young Keith. It'll be text heavy, but also feature art by our own Wednesday White. For the record, I've been indulging in a positive orgy of Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials, so this should hopefully be fun. Fans of our bedtime story should like it, I hope. If not... well, January isn't that far away.
Also, last week was a blank week for me -- things getting left undone in webcomics. So, I put up two pieces of fanart on Gossamer Commons that should have gone up earlier, including a fantastic short story Greg Holkan wrote and drew, and a beautiful picture by the talented Indigo Skynet of Kismetropolis. They didn't really get their days in the sun, so it seems to me like I should at least try to rectify that with a couple of links over here.
Said blank week also meant that John Stark suffered. However, I got my ass in gear over the weekend and put up strips to make up for the missing days. Which means that six full days of new strips are up over there, which is a veritable cornucopia of alleged humor and statue pictures. If you're of a mind, they start here. And no less than two of them include the word "boobies."
I'll have something not about me up a little later this morning. In the meantime, I hope your Monday is treating you all well, and please enjoy the Craft Services table. They went all out with the cheeses and fruit and coffee this morning, so tuck in.
Posted by Eric Burns-White at December 5, 2005 9:04 AM
Comments
Comment from: William_G posted at December 5, 2005 9:07 AM
Eric, can I get in a pre-emptive "Blow me" just in case there IS some drama over the Examiner?
Comment from: Will "Scifantasy" Frank posted at December 5, 2005 9:24 AM
However, if it does you don't want to get caught out, feeling all "man, why didn't I get to be a part of all the drama."
Sez you. I much prefer to not get caught up in drama...and so should you. Not that it's likely; the shirts do not lie.
Comment from: TheNintenGenius posted at December 5, 2005 9:52 AM
Since I'm getting ready for class right now, I haven't really had a chance to read the roundtable or much of anything else, only the section on Leisure Town, which is good enough for me because it seems like that comic never gets enough credit (in my opinion, Leisure Town's got to be one of the greatest webcomics ever.)
Comment from: Dave Van Domelen posted at December 5, 2005 10:29 AM
I will note that I'm one of the people who gets (lightly) annoyed when webcartoonists miss days and then label the late strips as if they were on time, preserving an illusion in the archives that the strip actually came out on time. It's a pointless sort of lie. Like when a newspaper strip is rerun, but has the date whited out and replaced with the current date.
That said, just about every backdated Stark says that it's backdated, so I have absolutely no objections. :)
Comment from: Milligan posted at December 5, 2005 10:29 AM
"Tuck in."
I love that expression.
I was pleasantly surprised to see it here today as it had popped unbidden into my head this past weekend.
No lie. And I'm not even like British or nothin'.
Comment from: Snowspinner posted at December 5, 2005 10:32 AM
Personally, I'm totally waiting for Scott McCloud and James Kochalka to, united by their hatred of my piece, corner me in a dark alley and beat the shit out of me. For Great Drama.
Comment from: TasteMyHouse posted at December 5, 2005 10:40 AM
Woo! Gossamer Commons and John Stark Related Snark!
How I Missed Them So!
(i like typing in captialized words. makes me look like i'm talking in Titles.)
Seriously tho. Keep up the stark snarks. don't let the man get you down
Comment from: LurkerWithout posted at December 5, 2005 10:57 AM
[i]I've been indulging in a positive orgy of Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials[/i]
Hopefully thats the right italics tag for this...
Anyway.
Worst. Porno. Ever!
Comment from: Eric Burns posted at December 5, 2005 11:21 AM
I've been indulging in a positive orgy of Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials
Hopefully thats the right italics tag for this...
You want HTML, not UBB
Anyway.
Worst. Porno. Ever!
You arch -- and get all chesty!
I'll thrust -- until we're banned!
We'll do all that's necessary -- 'cause--
even an orgasm needs a hand!
I'm going straight to Hell.
Comment from: Joe Zabel posted at December 5, 2005 11:36 AM
Thanks for the terrific plug, Eric!
You wrote, "...while I can think of a few comics they didn't put on there..."
Well-- what are they?
It would be very awesome if this comment thread becomes a long list of great comics that were neglected by us (preferably with URLs and stated reasons why they're great.)
Comment from: Snowspinner posted at December 5, 2005 11:38 AM
I think, despite its gratuitous popularity, there's a lot to be said for Penny Arcade as a great comic. And likewise, to my mind there is no more faithful and reliable gag-a-day than Irregular Webcomic.
Comment from: siwangmu posted at December 5, 2005 11:40 AM
You arch -- and get all chesty! I'll thrust -- until we're banned! We'll do all that's necessary -- 'cause-- even an orgasm needs a hand!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
That is all.
Comment from: Wednesday White posted at December 5, 2005 11:58 AM
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Errrr... so, do y'think two weeks is enough time for me to recover from the fear? I don't think I can afford to get much chestier.
Comment from: Paul Gadzikowski posted at December 5, 2005 12:22 PM
"Didn't I ever tell you about Boobies? Boobies bounce!"
(Sorry, Joe.)
Comment from: LurkerWithout posted at December 5, 2005 12:25 PM
You arch -- and get all chesty!
I'll thrust -- until we're banned!
We'll do all that's necessary -- 'cause--
even an orgasm needs a hand!
Can't breathe. Laughing.
You're killing me man, killing me...
Comment from: larksilver posted at December 5, 2005 2:25 PM
I've got to stop reading this blog and its comments on my lunch break. One of these days, I'll choke to death on a piece of ice or food inhaled in a snort of laughter, I swear.
Now.. I must go over to the Examiner and see if any of my favorite comics aren't on there...
Comment from: joeymanley posted at December 5, 2005 2:45 PM
Also, this morning, you were named one of the "Top 5 Troublemakers in Webcomics" by some columnist at Comicon Pulse. Well, okay, it was me.
Joey
Comment from: miyaa posted at December 5, 2005 4:02 PM
Gah. And here I am watching a Discovery Health Channel's medical presentation about breast reduction surgery.
I am so not going to ever eat twinkies ever again.
Comment from: Wednesday White posted at December 5, 2005 5:52 PM
...twinkies?
Comment from: Eric Burns posted at December 5, 2005 7:05 PM
Also, this morning, you were named one of the "Top 5 Troublemakers in Webcomics" by some columnist at Comicon Pulse. Well, okay, it was me.
Dude! You just made my week.
Comment from: pwright2 posted at December 5, 2005 7:50 PM
What's with the double balloon in the 3rd panel of http://www.webcomicsnation.com/ericburns/stark/series.php?view=single&ID=14198?
Surely I am not the first to point it out? Or am I having double double vision vision?
-----Paul----
Comment from: miyaa posted at December 5, 2005 9:25 PM
Wednesday: The surgeron was showing how she opens the breast up to get underneath the skin to start the removal process, and she showed the fat underneath. Guess what it looked like.
Comment from: Robotech_Master posted at December 5, 2005 9:29 PM
Arrrrgh! It's "no fewer than two," not "no less than two!" less is for measurements, fewer is for quantities. You're a grammar-man, you should know this!
Comment from: larksilver posted at December 5, 2005 11:42 PM
Joey Manley: That article is priceless. And so funny, with its giant smatterings of Too True For Comfort. hehehe
Comment from: gwalla posted at December 6, 2005 12:51 AM
The roundtable was interesting. The Kochalka quote that "craft is the enemy" really grated on my nerves though. I hate the whole "art vs. craft" thing (and blogged about it not too long ago).
Over on the TalkAboutComics blog, Joey and Joe Zabel have claimed that that's not what Kochalka meant by it, but I'm not exactly convinced.
BTW, Templar, Arizona has barely gotten started. Isn't it a little early to be putting it on any "best of" lists?
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