Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Parallel Universe

If you go to this adress, you will find the whole of this blog in-what is it?Italian? I have no idea who did this and why-propably an automatic translation machine thingie is involved, cause it gets translated in real time.Flattering or spooky?

Monday, June 26, 2006

Untitled (there's always the danger someone will find the title "smart")


The guy they had just introduced me to was one of an apparently large percentage of newspaper reporters that keep a blog under a pseudonym.("It is only natural" was his explanation."This way we can write the stuff our bosses never let us write"-ignoring the fact that noone actually does-unless pseudopoetic bitching and "how I spent my day" diaries is somehow the "censored activist journalism" the Media Barons keep us from discovering).
Anyway, we soon engaged in a conversation about the Greek comic artists. "You know who is, of course, my favorite" he told me. "Ilias Kiriazis".
(for those unfamiliar with the Greek comic scene, Kiriazis is one of the most promising talents that have appeared in recent years, with an already huge funbase-a large percentage of it being teenage girls,that holy grail of comic book audience).
"You see, Kiriazis done something that I find very smart", the guy continued."He took familiar settings, everyday people and situations we are all familiar with, and made this huge success".
Well, I know the guy thought he was paying a compliment, but boy, did that remark rubbed me the wrong way!
"Smart"?As in "there he was, scratching his head, thinking "now, what would bring me a huge following and mega success" smart? As in "ok-I want a best-seller, let's put in rhe right elements and the rest is easy" smart?As in "hey,boss, this baby is a sure-winner" smart?
I may be reading to much into it, but gut feeling tells me I do not.The unmistakable "business mentality" was all there in this remark.As far as I know, Kiriazis draws for fun,puts in his work whatever amuses him at the moment, plus (the magic element:) a large and sincere part of himself in it.Yes, that IS a recipe for success.But it's an insult to call that "smart".You just can't do that using your mind.You do that using your heart.No committee-approved, brainstorming-conceived,survey-based-targeted "project" ever achieved that.In fact, if there IS a point to pursuing a "creative career" in any medium, it is to put YOUR vision out there, CONTRARY to whatever parasitic "managers" of every kind want to dilute your message with.
THAT is smart.
And the "smart" guys, like Kiriazis, go on and do it and rip the benefits.
The rest can always resort to "undercover blogging"...

From Dusk till Dawn

More and more of the recent hot summer days i find myself outdoors till that gorgeous but creepy (or creepy but gorgeous) hour when black turns to blue, than white.Usually that is a sure sign that I'll have to spend the whole of the next day in maintenance, but the philosophical question is ever persistant: am I about to lose a day,or did i just took a full advantage of one?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Feels Like Summer (2)

Friday, June 16, 2006

Feels Like Summer



Monday, June 12, 2006

Seriously...You can't come up with this stuff!


With special thanks to the U.S. officials who provided the actual captions for this cartoon.Good work, guys! Keep 'em coming.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Iranian Cartoonist in Jail

Here is the who,how and why

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Completely Random Thought #342

Looking from a safe distance,I have formed the opinion that the boldest political statement I've seen in the movies the last ten years was when Lucas passed briefly what was essentially an army of stormtroopers as the good guys that save the day.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Happy 20th!


Last month marked the 20th anniversary of my first published appearance.In a profession where age matters as much as in modeling, this makes me something like a dinosaur-at 37.
Creating comics in Greece has had its up and down seasons-mostly down,frankly, strictly economically speaking.Somehow,a comparatively large collection of heroes were created during those 20 years for a variety of publications,most of which you can see in the illustration above.
Some of them completed their adventures, some keep popping up from time to time or awaiting revisiting, some deserve a deluxe collection and some of them are just beginning their paper life.
To all of them I have this to say:
Guys and girls, I don't know if I have been a good father,but judging from your adventures,you must have figured out by now that I am a cold hearted bastard, so don't expect to guilt me into giving you bigger allowance.

Go forth and multiply!