Part of me wonders if it’s okay to write this bizarre re-telling of recent pop culture history to fit the mold of my storyline. I mean, celebrity or not, these are ∗REAL∗ people and conceivable ∗REAL∗ emotions were involved.

But then I think about the little perks the come with celebrity. Any time I read an article about an actor who is presenting the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the Golden Globe Awards and then talk about a $37,890 gift basket the receive for doing so, I start to think that this kind of dissection of their personal lives is a fair, Faustian bargain.

I watched The Matrix Revolutions tonight while drawing the strip. Like many, I remember being thoroughly let down when it came out in October of 2003. I didn’t buy it on DVD and I hadn’t watched it since that time. Tonight it popped up on HBO, so I decided to leave it on as background noise while I worked.

I don’t know why, but it played much better for me the second time on the small screen. I don’t know if that’s because my television did a better job of hiding the CGI (especially in the final airborne battle between Smith and Neo) or if because the “story” had time to permeate my brain in the near year and a half since I last viewed it.

More than likely the story didn’t miraculously achieve cohesion. More than likely it was a case of absence making the heart grow fonder.

Even though the last two movies landed with an incredible THUD! compared to the first, there is no disputing that The Wachowski’s created a visual style that will be referenced for the next 50 years. It’s just too bad they decided on putting the sizzle before the steak in the latter chapters.

I won’t pontificate beyond that. Too much has already been made about the subject and by more dedicated observers than I.

In other Keanu related news, his new movie Constantine opens this weekend. It’s the story of irreverent supernatural detective who has literally been to hell and back. And just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Today’s buzzComix incentive sketch (and future Donator’s exclusive desktop wallpaper) pays tribute to the upcoming film. I know I already showed you this drawing, but that was the ROUGH PENCILS! Since reaction to the piece was really positive, I thought everyone might get a kick out of seeing the final inks. Plus, the image in its entirety, not the close-up I took of the pencils. I don’t know. Maybe you’ll enjoy watching the artwork progress.

Later.