Archive for September, 2003
26 items.
Okay, I’ll admit that today’s comic isn’t “wet-your-pants” funny, but I’ll be damned if I was going to pass up an opportunity to win some points by doing a birthday comic for Cami on her actual birthday.
For those of you who sent birthday wishes from Friday’s post, Cami has read them all and thanks you. It just goes to show what an awesome fan base we have.
That’s why I feel so crappy for being late on the comic. The Labor Day holiday had something to do with it, but add the big birthday blowout into the mix and it all adds up to about 4 hours in the house total this weekend. We’ve been catching up with family and friends from out of town and have eaten about a dozen birthday dinners. Good times, good times.
I hope you had a great holiday weekend, too.
Be sure to check back tomorrow – I have some news relating to the site you should know about.
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Buckle in, kids. Because we’ve got a lot of clicking to do!
It’s a brand new month and that means all the vote stats over at Top Web Comics has reset. Do your part and VOTE FOR THEATER HOPPER EVERY DAY! Right now we’re at number 22 on the list, but I’m sure we can crack the Top 10 by the end of the day with your help!
With that out of the way, I want to draw your attention to TWO new sponsers that I want you to check out.
The first is Digital Entertainment News. This is a great site chock FULL of news, reviews and information regarding all of the latest home console and PC video games. Digital Entertainment News has one of the best and most professional looking site-designs of any game review site out there. Articles are easy to find and extremely well written. And don’t forget about the contests! Check them out now!
Our second sponsor is Twisted Kaiju Theater – a web comic of an entirely different breed. Using tiny Godzilla and Monster Island-related figurines, Twisted Kaiju Theater has produced over 400 comics of Japanese-flavored wackiness. It’s hard to explain. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself!
If you could check out both of our sponsors, I would really appreciate it. These sponsorships help to keep Theater Hopper going and I would like to return the favor to anyone who has faith enough to advertise with us. It means a lot.
Thanks again to everyone for their support. Things just keep getting better and better!
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::Tear rolls down cheek::
Tom, did you happen to see what I gave Cami for her birthday?
Apparently I’m an 8 year old, though the money thing is true.
ahhh
::sucks it up::
Anyway, I saw Freddy vs Jason on Friday. I found it good for a laugh. Though it was gory, I didn’t find it scary. There is a kid in it that wants to be Silent Bob’s friend sooooo bad.
I’d like to give a shout out to my friend Pete, the $60 man. He’s getting married this weekend and it should be a blast.
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For the record, I did not know that you had included an offer in Cami’s birthday card for a movie until just this evening – a whole DAY after I finished the comic.
Of course, that’s pretty lousy timing and I feel like an ass.
We would gladly have you spend your money on us anytime and thank you profusely afterwords.
Thanks, good buddy. 🙂
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Even though I mentioned it in Tuesday’s blog, I want to cover this again really quick right off the bat in case you didn’t read the old stuff.
Top Web Comics – VOTE FOR THEATER HOPPER AND GET US IN THE TOP 10!
Sponsors – Digital Entertainment News and Twisted Kaiju Theater. Click on the banners that help to support Theater Hopper. Show them what an appreciative audience you are for their help in keeping me out of the black!
Today’s comic is pretty close to real life. In fact, it’s exactly like real life.
People know I’m a movie nut. I advertise it pretty loudly. They also know I run this site and my brain is host to a buzzing swarm of useless movie trivia and knowledge. Just try to beat me at Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon! It’s can’t be done, I say!
Regardless, whenever I get into a situation where friends or family ask me what good movies I’ve seen when poor selection has me avoiding the theaters like the plague… well, it’s awkward.
“I haven’t seen any good movies lately. There hasn’t been anything I’ve wanted to see.”
You should see their faces drop. It’s like someone let the air out of their tires. Then they give you that “Well, then what are you good for?” look. As if I couldn’t carry my own weight in a conversation if it wasn’t about George Clooney’s latest team-up with The Cohen Brothers. I can talk about lots of other things.
Television… for example…
It’s true, however, that August is a notoriously arid month for new releases. This is the time of year when Hollywood takes a breather after blowing their load during the summer. A small time to reflect and turn a blind eye on all the turds that will never get an advance showing for reviewers. Hasn’t anyone stopped to question why Marci X even made it to theaters? It should have gone straight to video. Do not pass “Go”. Do not get $200.
When things are lean in the theaters, it forces me to switch my mode of thinking when it comes to the strip. That’s why you haven’t seen my tackling specific films or much in the way of the now obligatory goofy dress-ups.
It reminds me a lot of when I started Theater Hopper in August of last year – probably the worst time to start a movie-related comic strip when there is so little source material to goof on.
I’m amazed we’ve made it this far.
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I’ve been batting around the idea of starting a second web comic – something more informal than Theater Hopper. Not exactly experimental, but less confined by deadlines or expectations.
Lately I’ve been feeling the need to branch out a little bit, but I really like the direction Theater Hopper is going. So it might be time to do something new.
I really enjoy The Journal Comic and have just discovered the Urban Transmission Project. I’m thinking of doing a journal comic along those same lines.
I’d probably follow The Journal Comic’s template in terms of style and update schedule (of course the art wouldn’t be as awesome). But I’m particularly struck by the ellegance of black and white drawings. Plus, I’d like to have the flexability of updating when I feel like it and working in panel arrangements that aren’t so tethered to the 4 panel job I have going here.
I don’t know. I guess I’m just thinking out loud.
If you have a reaction, hit me up in the forums or by e-mail
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Sep05
DAVID SPADE IS 5 FOOT 4 INCHES OF UNWATCHABLE
September 5th, 2003 |
(10 votes, average: 5.40 out of 10)
Cami actually suggested seeing Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star this week. She caught me at a moment of weakness. After a difficult week, I considered it. I could use a goofy break.
But then I took a closer look at the premise. Basically, it’s just Joe Dirt without the mullet.
I don’t know what went wrong with David Spade. I used to be a big fan of his acerbic wit and zingers. But it’s probably been difficult to maintain that smarmy character without getting slugged in the street.
I think a lot of Spade’s potency was lost when Chris Farley overdosed. Spade’s piercing put-downs were a perfect counter balance to the Farley buoyant spirit. Without him, Spade is slowly counting down the hours until he’s the lower left celebrity on Hollywood Squares. He knows it and he knows we know it. Dickie Roberts is the celluloid proof. It’s littered with cameos from former child stars and has-beens. Hasn’t Spade heard the superstition about the company you keep?
Frankly, I think I’m going to save my movie-going dollar for next week. From the looks of it, a metric ton of worthy cinema will be displayed on screen. Once Upon A Time In Mexico, Matchstick Men and American Splendor among them.
Did all of Hollywood agree to finally glut the googleplex with watchable product all on the same day?
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Well, it’s not 100% official, but it looks like I’ll be going to Minnesota soon for my VERY FIRST comic book convention! I’m getting really excited for it.
Setting up a booth at a convention is going to be a really big step for me. It’ll be an opportunity to meet the fans and maybe sell a little merchandise in a market a little larger than Des Moines.
The real kicker to this event is that there is a strong likelyhood that I will be sharing table space with Zach from No Pants Tuesday, Mitch from Nothing Nice to Say and Carrington from Movie Punks (driving all the way from Toronto!)
This little scheme of ours has been in the works since late spring at least. Finally things are coming together.
So if you feel like coming to Minneapolis to meet the 4 of us, mark your calendar for Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5. It’ll be a blast. If you’re interested in learning more about the convention, you can find their website here.
Oh, and Carrington, if you’re reading this – Send me or Zach an e-mail with your instant messenger address if you have. We need some information to submit to the convention organizers to confirm our table reservation.
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I was kind of sitting on this joke for a little while waiting to use it for a Monday strip when I knew more people would read it. I hope you like it.
I’m usually not one to call attention to “The 4th Wall.” In all honesty, one of my unofficial rules when I started Theater Hopper was to never break it. I always kind of viewed it as a cheap out.
But with American Splendor being all about the dissolution between reality in entertainment (decades before reality TV or LiveJournal, I might add), the joke was too perfect to pass up.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the film. It won’t come to Des Moines until this Friday, but I plan on checking it out early. There’s a lot of good stuff out this weekend. I’m going to be busy!
I’ve received some e-mails from people in other areas of the country where American Splendor is currently playing and I’m hearing nothing but positive reviews. I’ve always been a fan of Paul Giamatti, so I’m looking forward to it.
My good friend Nick suggested renting the documentary Crumb to help flesh out the experience. Since R. Crumb was a frequent artistic collaborator to Splendor’s author, Harvey Pekar, that’s good advice. I intend to follow through sometime this week.
Did anyone else notice that Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star was number one at the box office this week? I can’t say it was an enormous victory. It only raked in $7 million.
The last number one movie to rake in that little was the Ashley Judd thriller Eye of the Beholder in January of 2000. It only did $6 million in business.
When that’s the case, how much pride can David Spade really take home after getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
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